Official consideration based on national security which was what the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) considered in denying MNOs mobile money licence some years ago, played out in US regulator’s denial of a request by China Mobile to operate in the US market. NCC had under the former boss, Dr Eugene Juwah adopted what it called Mobile Money Services Providers who will ride on telecoms networks to deliver their services, but the model failed to survive.
The blockage will further frustrate China Mobile from gaining operating access to provide international telecommunications services, saying links to the Chinese government pose a national security risk.
Though NCC had linked the denial of mobile money operating licence to MNOs to national security some years back, emerging signals from the same Commission indicate readiness to lift the ban so that networks will become main carriers of mobile money as it is in many other economies.
However, in the US, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said because of China Mobile USA’s ownership and control by the Chinese government, allowing it into the US market “would raise substantial and serious national security and law enforcement risks.”
The decision brings the Chinese telecoms giant’s eight-year effort to crack the US market to an end.
Recall that before now, both countries had been engaging in cold trade war which is yet to recede.
