No Going Back On January 16 Deadline For Sale Of 9mobile – NCC

– NCC insists on January 16 deadline for the sale of 9mobile.

– 5 companies are in the bidding process to acquire 9mobile.

January 16 deadline for the conclusion of 9mobile sale is sacrosanct – NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has insisted the January 16 deadline for the sale and handover of 9mobile to a preferred bidder remains unchanged.

This was disclosed by the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management, of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Mr. Sunday Dare, in a reaction to rumours in certain quarters that the date for the planned sale of 9mobile has been shifted from January 16 to February 16, 2018.

Speaking in a phone interview with THISDAY, the NCC executive , said the commission had no plan to extend the date for the conclusion of the process.

Barclays Africa, the financial adviser handling the sale of 9mobile, had sought and obtained the permission of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the NCC to extend the initial date of December 31, 2017 to conclude the sale of 9mobile and hand it over to its new owners to January 16, 2018.

The final five firms shortlisted by Barclays who are currently bidding for the takeover of 9mobile are Teleology Holdings Limited, promoted by Adrian Wood, the pioneer CEO of MTN Nigeria; Smile Telecoms Holdings, with operations in Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Congo DR and South Africa; Helios Investment Partners; Bharti Airtel and Globacom, the telecoms company owned and operated by a Nigerian billionaire, Mike Adenuga Jnr.