Nigeria grants 5G approvals ahead service rollout

Nigeria’s telecoms regulator has granted approval for 5G devices and equipment ahead of the upcoming rollout of the fifth-generation mobile technology service in the country, Technology Times checks have revealed today.

Chinese equipment suppliers, Huawei and ZTE have been listed among companies issued type approvals for 5G equipment ranging from terminals to customer premises equipment (CPE) by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the type approval list of the telecoms regulator reveals.

Professor Umar Danbatta , NCC Executive Vice Chairman

According to the telecoms regulator’s rules equipment manufacturers, vendors and operators must ensure that customer devices like mobile phones and wireless adapters must be type-approved and “must therefore ensure that their equipment conform to the applicable standards as mandated by the Commission before bringing them into Nigeria.”

Technology Times review of the type approvals issued by NCC shows that as of October 2020, the telecoms regulator has issued 1653 permits for “mobile handsets that have been tested and found to meet the applicable Type Approval standards required to allow them to be sold to consumers and operated in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The list of type-approved handsets shows that HMD Mobile Nigeria Ltd, the local unit of the Nokia mobile handsets maker, has obtained type approval for its Nokia 8.3 5G (TA-1243), which the company says will “unlock new possibilities with stunningly fast 5G – like streaming, gaming and more” for users of the smartphone.

The Nokia 8.3 5G smartphone.

Also, LM Ericsson Nigeria Limited has obtained type approval for the Oppo Reno 5G (CPH1725) made by the Chinese tech company, Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications Corp. Ltd, a smartphone its maker says will “serve as an enabler of ‘intelligent connectivity’ – the fusion of 5G, AI and IOT bridging people to world of immersive entertainment, enhanced public services and even more.”

The Oppo Reno 5G smartphone.

As of July this year, the NCC list shows that the telecoms regulator has issued 5,437 type approvals for telecoms equipment that “have been tested and found to meet the applicable Type Approval standards required to allow them to be brought into and operated in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Nigeria has set out an ambitious roadmap plan to become an African leader in the deployment of 5G for overall growth and economic development in the country.

NCC Type Approval Fees # Equipment Class Price (₦) Price ($) 1 Telephone Handset/Mobile Phone 738,270.00 1,800.00 2 WLAN Access Point (Base) 738,270.00 1,800.00 3 Bluetooth Module (Embedded, Integrated) 738,270.00 1,800.00 4 Modem 738,270.00 1,800.00 5 Customer Premise Equipment (CPE-Indoor) 738,270.00 1,800.00 6 WLAN Module/ Card 738,270.00 1,800.00 7 Wireless Router 738,270.00 1,800.00 8 Fixed Wireless Desktop Phone 738,270.00 1,800.00 9 Sensors of Internet of Things (IoT) Devices 738,270.00 1,800.00 10 iPad/Tablet 1,025,375.00 2,500.00 11 WLAN Access Point (Outdoor) 1,435,525.00 3,500.00 12 An Integrated System e.g. A laptop with Bluetooth Module and WLAN Module 1,435,525.00 3,500.00 13 Enterprise Router, Enterprise Gateway Equipment 1,435,525.00 3,500.00 14 Radio Base Station (CDMA & GSM) 2,871,050.00 7,000.00 15 Baseband Unit (BBU) 1,435,525.00 3,500.00 16 Remote Radio Unit (RRU) 1,435,525.00 3,500.00 17 Trunking Radio (Base Station) 1,435,525.00 3,500.00 18 WIMAX Base Station 2,871,050.00 7,000.00 19 Point to Multi-point Radio 2,871,050.00 7,000.00 20 Point to Multi-point CPE 1,435,525.00 3,500.00 21 Point to Point Radio 2,871,050.00 7,000.00 22 Microwave Radio (ODU) 2,871,050.00 7,000.00 23 Microwave Radio (IDU) 2,871,050.00 7,000.00 24 Switching Exchange 8,203,000.00 20,000.00 Source: Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)/Technology Times Intelligence Unit.

The plan received a boost recently when NCC announced an 18-member team to map out plans for Nigeria’s 5G spectrum auctions following the Senate clearance of the mobile technology over public health concerns.

MTN Nigeria has also conducted a trial operation of 5G service under NCC supervision across locations in the country to demonstrate the viability of the service in the country.