MTN denies evading tax in Cameroon

Mobile network provider MTN on Thursday denied allegations made by Cameroon’s National Anti-Corruption Commission (Conac) that the mobile network owes R1.5-billion in taxes and royalties to the government of country.

Reuters on Thursday reported that a wide-reaching Conac probe into the telecoms sector allegedly found that taxes totalling R4.9-billion had gone unpaid by various companies, including MTN, Camtel and Viettel.

The commission accused the operators of receiving illegal tax breaks.

MTN spokesman Chris Maroleng said on Thursday that the network was fully compliant with all the laws of Cameroon, and would co-operate with authorities should an investigation be instituted.

“We are operating a fully-compliant business in Cameroon and we are very careful when it comes to tax matters.'”

Maroleng said it must be noted that MTN has not been charged with any crime  or been briefed on the claims officially, thus making it ignorant of the Conac report findings.

MTN is the leading network service provider in Cameroon and has about 10 million subscribers.

In a statement on Thursday, the CEO of MTN Cameroon, Philisiwe Sibiya, said MTN is not, and has never been, implicated in corruption-related actions in the exercise of its activities in the west African country.

Sibiya said MTN is a responsible investor and is up to date with its fiscal obligations to the relevant authorities in Cameroon, in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations. 

- Africa News Agency