By Parrot Newspaper MTN, Kogi Resolve Dispute—Telecom Services Resume Wednesday”
By Ricky Awodi
April 30, 2025
After days of frustrating service blackouts, telecom users in Kogi State can finally breathe a sigh of relief. MTN Nigeria and the Kogi State government have settled their dispute, paving the way for full service restoration by Wednesday, the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has confirmed.
How It All Started
The crisis began when the Kogi State Utility Infrastructure Management and Compliance Agency (KUIMCA) accused MTN of under-declaring its optic fibre coverage in the state—a claim that led to a court-ordered shutdown of telecom facilities.
Gbenga Adebayo, ALTON Chairman, told Parrot Newspaper that the issues have now been resolved. “We’ve reached an agreement. Services will be fully restored by Wednesday,” he assured.
The Compliance Clash
KUIMCA’s Director-General, Taofeeq Isah, revealed that MTN initially declared only 48 optic fibre lines in Kogi. However, a four-day verification exercise exposed a much larger network.
“When I took office last August, I noticed discrepancies in their records,” Isah explained. “After a joint inspection, we found they were covering more areas than declared. They even complained about being overbilled, but the evidence was clear.”
The state demanded additional levies, but MTN’s refusal led to the shutdown, leaving businesses and subscribers stranded for over a week.
Tax Troubles Add Fuel to the Fire
The Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) also accused MTN of tax evasion and submitting incomplete documents during compliance checks—further complicating the standoff.
What This Means for Users
With services set to resume, businesses and residents can expect restored connectivity. However, the dispute highlights ongoing tensions between telecom giants and state regulators over compliance and taxation—a situation that could flare up again if not properly managed.
MTN, Kogi Resolve Dispute
Stay tuned to Parrot Newspaper for more updates on this developing story.