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MTN AGAIN: How The Company’s Greed Have Led Banks To Cut It Off From USSD Platform. – For Arbitrarily Reducing Commission!

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The issue with MTN Airtime distribution and vending through the Banks is completely different from the Telco USSD services billing.

Telco USSD services billing is an industry-wide issue, both for the Telecoms and Banking industries, and it is about the determination of the best way to bill joint customers of the MNOs and Banks for the USSD service provided by the MNOs when it is used to Access Banking Services.

 

However, for this MTN Airtime sale through the Banks, on March 30 MTN acting unilaterally on its own, without consultation or negotiation with the Banks, who are part of its Airtime distribution chain, reduced the commission paid to the Banks for helping MTN sell its Airtime from 4% to 2.5%. This puts the Banks in a precarious and economic loss position, as the cost of fraud and airtime vending infrastructure maintenance by the banks outweigh the new commission rate imposed by MTN.  One will wonder why it is only MTN doing this and no other companies in the Telco industry.

 

To mitigate this risk of economic loss, all Banks, as an industry, requested MTN to maintain the status quo but all effort by the Banks to hold a discussion with MTN on this issue fell on deaf ears. To protect their businesses from the adverse economic impact, all Banks in the Financial industry decided to suspend the vending and distribution of MTN Airtime through their channels until such a time that a favorable rate is agreed with MTN.

 

Last night, some commercial banks have yanked off MTN From their USSD, airtime purchase, and other online services from the MTN network due to the disagreement between the financial institutions and the telecommunication company on the amount to be charged.

The implication is that you cannot make a purchase from any bank.

It was however reported by a national daily, that the bank Chief Executive Officers had at a recent meeting agreed to shut down the purchase of MTN services across all their channels beginning from 11 pm last night until further notice.

An attempt by SOCIETY REPORTERS to purchase airtime from GTBank last night showed that the commercial bank had removed MTN among the network its customers could purchase airtime from.

However, another Bank was still offering the service as of midnight.

A source close to the banks explained that the disagreement arose after MTN recently reduced the discount offered to banks on airtime sales

A top bank official, who pleaded to remain anonymous, said other banks are expected to comply with the decision of their CEOs from today.

He disclosed that over 60 percent of airtime vending by telcos presently was done electronically through the banks.

The CBN and the NCC, had in a recent communique issued at the end of a meeting to resolve the disagreement on USSD fee between the banks and telcos agree that with effect from March 16, 2021, USSD services for financial transactions conducted at banks and all CBN- licensed institutions would be a flat rate of N6.98k per transaction.

This replaced the previous per session billing structure, ensuring a much cheaper average cost for customers to ensure financial inclusion.

“To promote transparency, the new USSD charges will be collected on behalf of MNOs directly from customers’ bank accounts. “Banks shall not impose additional charges on customers for the use of USSD channel. “A settlement plan for outstanding payments incurred for USSD services previously rendered by the MNOs is being worked out by all parties in a bid to ensure that the matter is fully resolved,” the communiqué explained.

In a bid to respond to the entire story, MTN has sent out messages to its subscribers confirming that its banking services are not available. read the message below.

Dear Customer, our bank recharge channels are currently unavailable. Kindly recharge using physical cards. We apologise for the inconvenience. Thank you.

BY: SUNDAY ADEBAYO.

 

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IBEDC records 1,459 energy theft cases in January, February

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The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company said it has recorded 1,459 cases of energy theft by its subscribers between January and February 2024.

This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the firm’s Chief Key Accounts Officer, Mr. Johnson Tinuoye, on Tuesday.

IBEDC added that it is actively pursuing investigations and legal actions against individuals and businesses involved in the theft in collaboration with the Federal Government Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences.

Identifying the cases, IBEDC said they included various offences such as meter bypass and illegal meter tampering, which resulted in significant financial losses amounting to hundreds of millions of naira for the company.

The statement read, “We want to send a clear message to our customers that energy theft will not be tolerated. Our collaboration with the Federal Government Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on Electricity Offences underscores our commitment to ensuring a fair and just electricity distribution system.

“Energy theft not only undermines the integrity of our operations but also deprives IBEDC of the revenue necessary to provide quality services to our customers.”

Tinuoye emphasised that under the Electricity Act, energy theft is now recognised as a criminal offense, carrying severe penalties including imprisonment stressing, “In the Osun region, two individuals were apprehended for stealing energy through meter bypass and illegal connections. Their cases have been formally charged in court for prosecution.”

IBEDC further urged customers to refrain from engaging in any form of energy theft, emphasising that the consequences can be severe, as there is no room for negotiation with the SIPTEO Task Force team, which is actively patrolling and investigating instances of energy theft for prosecution.

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Copyright Breach: NCC Drags MTN, Others To Court Over Musician’s Works

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The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has filed criminal charges against MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd. and four others over alleged copyright infringement.

The charge with number FHC/ABJ/CR/111/2024 filed in the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court was obtained by journalists on Monday.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the four other defendants in the case include the chief executive officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola; Nkeakam Abhulimen, Fun Mobile Ltd.; and Yahaya Maibe.

In the three-count charge, NCC alleged that the defendants, between 2010 and 2017, “offered for sale, sold and traded for business’’, infringed the musical works of an artiste, Maleke Idowu Moye, without his consent and authorisation.

The commission alleged that the defendants used musical works and sound recordings of Mr Maleke with subsisting copyright as caller ringback tunes without the authorisation of the artiste.

The musician’s musical works and sound recordings allegedly infringed upon included 911, Minimini-wanawana, Stop Racism, Ewole, 911 instrumental, Radio, Low Waist, and No Bother.

The defendants were also alleged to have distributed the musical works to their subscribers without authorisation, thereby infringing on the rights of the artiste.

In the third count, the defendants were alleged to have in their possession, other than for their private or domestic use, the artiste’s musical works and sound recordings.

According to NCC, the alleged offences are contrary to and punishable under section 20 (2) (a) (b) and (c) of the Copyright Act, Cap. C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The case has yet to be assigned to any judge, and no date has been fixed for the mention.

Meanwhile, no official statement has been released by any of the defendants as at the time of filing this report, while all efforts to get reactions from MTN by New Telegraph proved abortive.

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LASG, LCC ANNOUNCE REOPENING OF LEKKI CONSERVATION CENTRE AFTER REPAIRS

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Following the completion of extensive routine maintenance works on the Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC), the Lagos State Government and the Management of the Centre have announced that the Walkway will be reopened for public use with effect from Friday, 29th March 2024.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe confirmed this on Friday during a visit to the Centre in Lekki alongside some officials of the Ministry.

Aregbe said that he was happy to see that all repairs and renovations on the facility, including the Walkway, have been completed and would be accessible for tourism during the Easter celebration.

The Special Adviser appreciated Lagosians and tourists across the world for their patience during the thorough maintenance works carried out at the Centre in Lekki.

The Director-General of the Centre, Prof Mathew Onoja also appreciated the State Government for its intervention following the viral video, which first circulated in December as well as the swift response and efforts towards making the repairs and renovations seamless.

He noted that the Centre being a major tourism asset in Lagos State has played host to tourists from all over the world as it offers a serene environment for nature tourism and also boasts of the longest canopy walkway in Africa.

Recall that the facility has been undergoing routine maintenance since January following apprehensions arising from the damaged section of the Canopy Walkway, which had been repaired before the viral video was posted on social media platforms.

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