Nigeria’s telecoms regulator says it has migrated spectrums on offer at next month’s 5G auction while assuring that the bid dates remain unchanged.
Barring any last-minute change, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will on December 19 host round two of Nigeria’s 5G auction after offering two lots of 3.5GHz spectrum bands at $273.6 million per basket. Winners in the spectrum auction will use the assets to deploy 5G service across the country.
“We, therefore, wish to reassure all stakeholders and investors, that the processes and schedule for the Auction of two lots of 3.5GHz spectrum will take place as planned. The final Information Memorandum for the Auction has been published on the Commission’s website. Interested applicants are advised to adhere to the requirements as specified in the Information Memorandum for participation in the Auction,” Mr. Reuben Muoka, NCC Public Affairs Director says.
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That the telecoms regulator has successfully cleared all hurdles and migrated the remaining 3.5GHz spectrum bands to be ready for the upcoming auction ahead of the estimated 24 months scheduled for the exercise, NCC says.
“The Information Memorandum that guided the 2021 Auction process,” Muoka says, “further stated the Commission’s intention to migrate incumbent users of the remaining portion of the C-band to free up Spectrum and make it available for the deployment of new services. The Commission has achieved the clearance earlier than the estimated 24 months, thus making the Spectrum available for licensing.”
“We, therefore, wish to reassure all stakeholders and investors, that the processes and schedule for the Auction of two lots of 3.5GHz spectrum will take place as planned.”
– Mr. Reuben Muoka, NCC Public Affairs Director.
According to him, NCC “in line with Section 121 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 (the Act) has the responsibility to manage and administer Spectrum resources for the communications sector in an efficient and effective manner. This is for the socio-economic benefit of the country.”
As the telecoms regulator, NCC’s responsibility is “to ensure that harmonized and standardized Spectrum resources are made available in a timely manner to ensure its optimal utilization. The impact of the Commission’s regulatory activities in this regard is evident in the contribution of ICT, and telecommunications in particular, to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country,” Muoka adds.
“The Act allows available spectrum resources to be licensed through different methods. Spectrum licensing via auction is one of the most transparent methods of assigning spectrum resources globally. It is important to note that the Commission in response to requests for more spectrum lots to be made available during the 2021 Stakeholders’ engagement had estimated a period of 24 months to clear all encumbrances in the remaining two lots of the 3.5GHz band,” according to the NCC Public Affairs Director.
“The Commission,” Muoka says, “wishes to reiterate that as a regulatory body holding in trust the management and administration of scarce spectrum resources on behalf of Federal government that it will continue to make available, the much-needed harmonised and standardised spectrum resources to the industry. The auction is designed to boost competition by making it open to both new entrants as well as existing licensees.”
