Rwanda's telecom regulator fines MTN $8.5m for breaching its licensing conditions

Rwanda's telecom regulator: 'Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA)' has fined MTN Rwanda, a division of the South African owned telecommunications company, $8.5 million for breaching its licensing conditions by hosting its IT services outside the country.

According to RURA, MTN Rwanda Ltd provided services in contravention of enforcement notice and directives issued by the regulator against hosting its IT services outside the country. 

By doing so, they breached its license obligation requiring it to comply with all applicable laws, regulations and any other regulatory instruments issued by the competent authority.

"On 4th May 2017, the Regulatory Board of RURA conducted a hearing session in which MTN Rwanda Ltd was informed on the breach of its license obligations and given the opportunity to be heard, whereby MTN Rwanda Ltd admitted the above mentioned breach. In accordance with the applicable laws, the Regulatory Board of RURA decided to impose on MTN Rwanda Ltd administrative fine of seven billiothirty million Rwanda Francs (7,030,000,000)."

MTN Rwanda said it has been notified by the regulator about the penalty and that the parties were discussing the matter.