By Dipo Olowookere
Operators in the Nigerian capital market have been warned against making any misleading or false information or be ready to face the consequences of their actions.
The industry’s apex regulatory agency, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) gave this warning while reacting to media reports that all was now set for the much-anticipated listing of MTN Nigeria shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
In a statement signed by its management, SEC said there was no iota of truth in the reports.
The agency emphasised that MTN Nigeria was yet to file an application to list its equities on the local bourse.
“The attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission has been drawn to a publication in pages 1 & 38 of Business Day Newspaper of Thursday, July 5, 2018, and other media outlets wherein it was reported that “after 6 weeks delay by SEC, the MTN IPO was set to go”…
“The Commission wishes to categorically state that the information contained in the said publication is false, misleading and without merit.
“Additionally, the Commission would like to state that MTN Nigeria Limited to the best of the Commission’s knowledge is a Private company limited by shares. As at the date of this circular, neither MTN Nigeria Limited nor any of its advisers or representatives has filed any application with the SEC regarding the said IPO. Given that there is no application from MTN before the Commission, there could not have been a request by MTN or any of its representatives or advisers requiring any form of regulatory review.
“The Commission welcomes filings aimed at deepening and broadening the capital market and stands ready to provide the necessary regulatory support. If MTN finally files a formal and complete application with the Commission, it would be treated with the usual diligence and urgency that is applicable to all such filings.
“Furthermore, we wish to remind all capital market operators of their duty not to furnish information, which is false, and misleading in any material particular as the Commission would not hesitate to take necessary regulatory actions on any erring market operator
“The Commission remains committed to its core mandate of investor protection and maintaining the integrity of the Nigerian capital market,” the statement said.
