Nigeria’s telecoms regulator has shut the offices of Nokia-Alcatel for operating in Africa’s largest economy without the necessary permit, the watchdog said on Friday.

The Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) spokesman Tony Ojobo said that the mobile telecoms equipment manufacturer had failed to obtain the 2 million naira ($6,349) licence required for the sale and installation of network equipment.

The head of Nokia’s Nigerian operations said the company was in talks with the NCC to secure the licence and that its offices would reopen imminently.

Nokia-Alcatel had applied for the licence about three months ago but had not completed the process, a separate NCC source said, adding that the company had operated without the permit for some time.

Nokia-Alcatel’s office will be reopened after they comply, he said.

($1 = 315.00 naira)