The sale of one of Nigeria’s top telecoms outfit, 9Mobile is still generating controversy as bidders await the emergence of a winner.
Contrary to stories in some quarters on the emergence of a preferred bidder for 9Mobile, there is indeed no preferred bidder yet for the nation’s fourth major GSM operator.
This clarification was made by a top official of the nation’s telecoms regulator Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The official, who prefers not to be named, was emphatic that only NCC can ratify and announce a preferred bidder.
He noted that as at Thursday, February 1, 2018, the ratification and announcement are yet to be made by the commission. He dismissed as speculative the story of an emergence of a preferred bidder and a reserved bidder.
It will be recalled that an otherwise credible Online Media Platform had reported the possible emergence of Teleology Holdings and Smile Telecoms Holdings had emerged as the preferred and reserved bidders respectively for 9Mobile.
The report was immediately debunked by a reliable industry source close to the transaction. The source confirmed that nothing of such had happened and that the sums quoted as the financial bids of both Teleology and Smile Telecoms Holdings are inaccurate. The source therefore urged interested parties and the general public to await formal announcement from the appropriate official quarters, noting that only the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is empowered by law to make such announcement. The source further contended that NCC will likely seek the concurrence of CBN in this particular transaction given the involvement of 13 banks that had earlier lent money to 9Mobile and need to recoup their investment.
In a related development, a Lagos based economist and public policy analyst Mukoro Okotete has canvassed for the sale of 9Mobile to be properly managed. He opined that such a successful sale would have multiple positive effects on the nation’s economy. He listed the advantages to include deepening of the nation’s telecom market and the enhancement of effective competition in the industry. Such a transparent transaction will also lead to a revitalized 9Mobile thereby enhancing the employment opportunities within the company. This, he added, will extend to allied job opportunities that will be occasioned by sundry suppliers, contractors and indirect staff.
In a similar vein, Enobong Udoh a communications analyst has advised NCC to keep to its tradition of transparent sales, which has seen to the emergence of only competent organisations as major operators in the nation’s telecoms landscape. He commended the two finalists in the bid for 9Mobile, Teleology Holdings and Smile Telecoms for coming thus far. He however opined that great care should be taken to ensure that 9Mobile is not handed over to “an unknown quantity” with the attendant risks. Instead, he is of the view that a firm with evident ability by way of enviable track record in Nigeria and other parts of Africa should be a better option. To him Smile Telecoms Holdings based on all indices of good business practice and performance will fare better in revitalizing 9Mobile than Teleology Holdings. To him, what is needed is “a tested and trusted hand” that will be able to turn around the fortunes of the ailing 9Mobile in the best interest of all and sundry.
Packaged by Alice Egbedele
