Read < 1 minute
Giant mobile service provider MTN has refuted claims that it paid a bribe to Nigerian officials to reduce its fine from $5.2 billion to $1.05 billion.
The Nigerian communications authority fined MTN for failing to disconnect unregistered SIM cards in the West African country.
The telecom group was accused of failing to deactivate more than five million unregistered SIM cards.
MTN in a statement on Friday said there had been allegations that a top Nigerian official in the presidency received a bribe to help reduce the fine it had been slapped with initially, allegations that it refutes.
In June, MTN agreed to pay a reduced fine of $1.05 billion in a settlement with the Nigerian government, saying it will be paid over three years.
