ABUJA- Nigeria's communications commission said on Tuesday MTN Nigeria's application to renew its operating licence for another ten years was still undergoing regulatory processing.

In March, MTN Nigeria said it was at an advanced stage in renewing its operating spectrum and licence from September. The spectrum underpins the company's data network and telecom coverage in Africa's biggest economy.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said an online media report stating that MTN Nigeria's application had already been granted was not correct.

"The Commission wishes to state that while MTN Nigeria has applied for the renewal of the Unified Access Service Licence (UASL) granted to it by the Commission, the application is yet to be approved as it is still undergoing required regulatory processes," NCC said in a statement.

On Monday, MTN Nigeria's chief executive said the operator planned to invest 600 billion naira ($1.5 billion) over the next three years to expand broadband access in Africa's most populous country.

(Reporting by Camillus Eboh, Writing by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Bernadette Baum) ((macdonald.dzirutwe@thomsonreuters.com; +263 4 799 112; Reuters Messaging: macdonald.dzirutwe.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))