The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has decided to stop the planned disconnection of Globacom Limited (Glo) from MTN Nigeria Communications Plc (MTN).
Initially, Glo owed MTN for over 15 years, leading to the NCC giving approval for phased disconnection starting from January 18, 2024.
However, the NCC reversed its decision, stating that both parties have now agreed to resolve their issues.
The regulator expressed concern about the impact on consumers and commended the customer-centric approach taken by MTN and Glo.
The disconnection is on hold for 21 days from January 17, 2024, to allow the parties to settle outstanding matters.
The NCC emphasized the obligation for telecom companies to adhere to license terms, especially regarding interconnection agreements.
The directive comes amid reports of telecom operators barring lines before the NCC’s disconnection notice expiry.
Earlier, the NCC instructed telecom operators, including MTN, Airtel, and Globacom, to implement full network barring for lines without National Identification Numbers (NINs) or unverified NINs by February 28, 2024.
National Association of Telecoms Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMS) threatened court action against telcos for prematurely barring lines, calling it unacceptable.
NATCOMS President, Mr. Deolu Ogunbanjo, urged telcos to reverse their decision, citing significant losses for affected business people.
Ogunbanjo mentioned plans for the NCC to discuss the matter with key stakeholders, promising positive news.
He advised subscribers to link their SIMs to avoid barring, despite the group seeking a deadline extension.
