The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has verified the issuing of final letters of award of Fifth Generation (5G) Spectrum Licences to MTN and Mafab Communications, the winners of the Commission’s 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum auction on Monday, December 13, 2021.
The Commission’s Management, chaired by EVC Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, affirmed this to the Board of Commissioners at the Board’s Special Meeting on Wednesday, April 20 and Thursday, April 21, 2022, when the Board considered an update from Management on the spectrum auction’s status.
The two licensees are now expected to accelerate the deployment of 5G networks, which will usher Nigeria into a more robust Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and a more digitized Nigerian economy among the comity of nations, following the issuance of the final letters of awards of 5G spectrum and in accordance with the 5G auction’s Information Memorandum (IM).
The licensees are slated to start rolling out 5G services on August 24, 2022, as per the terms and conditions of the 5G license.
When fully operational, the 5G network will provide a plethora of advantages and opportunities for the country’s rapid expansion and smart living. Significant network benefits, including as increased connection speed, mobility, and capacity, as well as low-latency capabilities, are projected to be made possible by the technology.
The National Frequency Management Council (NFMC), chaired by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, handed over the spectrum allocation for 5G deployment as well as the Federal Government-approved National Policy on 5G to the Commission on February 22, 2022, following a transparent, diligent, fair, and credible auction of 3.5GHz on December 13, 2021.
Following that, on February 24, 2022, the Commission confirmed the two spectrum winners’ full payment of $273.6 million each, plus MTN’s spectrum assignment fee, for the 5G spectrum license.
The Commission is optimistic that effective implementation of the National Policy on 5G will hasten the achievement of national targets set forth in the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2020-2030, and other sectoral policies aimed at accelerating Nigeria’s digital transformation.
While licensees are expected to achieve their 5G network rollout deadlines, the NCC is urging the private sector and government to work together to alter every element of the economy through 5G, which will usher in greater change than the 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G networks.
Signed:
Director, Public Affairs Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde
4th of May (2022)
Final Letters of Licence Awards to 5G Spectrum Winners has been issued by NCC
