South African telecoms giant MTN said Friday it would pay a $1.7 billion fine to the Nigerian government in a "full and final settlement" over its failure to disconnect unregistered mobile phone users. The Johannesburg-based company said in a statement that "MTN Nigeria has agreed to pay a total cash amount of Naira 330 billion over three years." Africa's biggest wireless operator was fined $3.9 billion last year and has since been in negotiations with the Nigerian government over the size of the penalty. The company was hit with the huge demand amid fears that some of the 5.1 million affected lines were being used by Boko Haram insurgents. After the settlement was announced, MTN shares rose 10 percent, on track for their biggest gain since 2008, on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, according to Bloomberg News. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the country's telecoms regulator, handed down the fine last year citing an ina...