Lobatan! MTN wants Whatsapp & Viber banned in Nigeria, says they're bad for business

The CEO of MTN Nigeria, Ferdinand Moolman, has stated that the activities of ‘over-the-top’ brands like WhatsApp, Viber have adverse effects on its business and affects the sustainability of Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.

Mr. Moolman stated this while highlighting factors affecting Nigeria’s telecommunications industry, at a hearing convened by Senate Committee on Communications.

Yesterday's hearing chaired by vice-chairman of the committee, Adeola Olamilekan, was organised following the now suspended data tariff hike by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC.

While identifying factors, Mr. Moolman decried “the depletion of operator revenues by unlicensed providers of “over-the-top” telecoms services who do not have any physical presence; nor pay any taxes; nor make any significant contribution to employment or other socio-economic objectives of government in Nigeria.”

Mentioning WhatsApp, Viber and the likes, the MTN boss pointed out that these companies were eroding gains of Nigeria’s telecom companies and asked Nigeria to take action like the United Arab Emirates did.