MTN Denies Illegal Repatriation Of $8.1bn

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE

MTN Nigeria has denied its involvement in the illegal repatriation of dividends worth $8.1bn between 2007 and 2015.

The telecoms company in a statement Thursday by its Public Relations Manager, Funso Aina, acknowledged the receipt of a letter from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) regarding the allegations on August 29, 2018.

The apex bank, on Wednesday, imposed heavy sanctions totaling N5.87 billion on four banks under its regulatory purview and asked same to refund the sum of $8,134,312,397.63 for what it described as ‘flagrant violation of extant laws and regulations of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1995 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Foreign Exchange Manual, 2006’.

Announcing the decision in Abuja, CBN’s Director, Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor, said that the actions of the Bank became necessary following allegations of remittance of foreign exchange with irregular Certificates of Capital Importation (CCIs) issued on behalf of some offshore investors of MTN Nigeria Communications Limited and subsequent investigations carried out by the apex bank in March 2018.

The CBN therefore asked the Managements of the banks and MTN Nigeria Communications Limited to immediately refund the sum of $8,134,312,397.63, illegally repatriated by the company to the coffers of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

But MTN Nigeria strongly refuted the allegations and claims insisting that it only paid dividends with Certificates of Capital Importation issued by its bankers with the approval of the CBN.

“MTN Nigeria Communications Limited (MTN Nigeria) received a letter on August 29 2018 from CBN alleging that CCIs issued in respect of the conversion of shareholders loans in MTN Nigeria to preference shares in 2007 had been improperly issued. As a consequence, they claim that historic dividends repatriated by MTN Nigeria between 2007 and 2015 amounting to $8,1 billion need to be refunded to the CBN.

“MTN Nigeria strongly refutes these allegations and claims. No dividends have been declared or paid by MTN Nigeria other than pursuant to CCIs issued by our bankers and with the approval of the CBN as required by law.

“The issues surrounding the CCIs have already been the subject of a thorough inquiry by the Senate of Nigeria. In September 2016 the Senate mandated the Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions to carry out a holistic investigation on compliance with the Foreign exchange (monitoring and miscellaneous) Act by MTN Nigeria and Others.

“In its report issued in November 2017, the findings evidenced that MTN Nigeria did not collude to contravene the foreign exchange laws and there were no negative recommendations made against MTN Nigeria.”

According to Ania, the company is a law-abiding citizen of Nigeria, is committed to good governance and to abiding by the extant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

MTN Nigeria promised to engage with the relevant authorities, vigorously defend its position on the matter and provide further information when available.