The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is hosting a 5G forum today ahead of the upcoming spectrum auctions for the rollout of the fifth-generation mobile service in the country.
Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, NCC Public Affairs Director announces in a statement that the 5G stakeholder engagement forum is part of activities lined up for Nigeria’s implementation of the 5G technology deployment plan.
The forum will also afford industry stakeholders the opportunity to discuss the draft Information Memorandum (IM) for the upcoming auction of the 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum band, according to the telecoms regulator.
Adinde says the 5G technology is expected to facilitate several emerging technologies, generate innovative use cases, spur significant socio-economic growth and create jobs.
Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, NCC Public Affairs Director.
5G Forum to Discuss Spectrum Auctions Plan
The 5G stakeholder engagement forum, scheduled to hold at the Lagos Marriot Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, Thursday, November 4, 2021, at 10:00 am prompt, is open to all interested stakeholders in the telecoms sector and beyond, NCC says.
“The decision to host the stakeholder engagement is in keeping with the provisions of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 and NCC’s distinctive tradition of robust stakeholder consultation on all telecom regulation-related issues,” Adinde says.
According to him, in June this year, “the Commission inaugurated a committee to develop the IM for the auction of 3.5 GHz spectrum band, which will be utilized for early deployment of 5G technology services in the country.
“The Information Memorandum (IM) is a comprehensive document, which defines the process emplaned by the Commission for the auctioning of the 3.5GHz spectrum band. It also provides information on the Nigerian telecommunications market, details of the spectrum to be made available, the pre-qualification process, the auction process as well as the indicative timetable.”
According to the regulator, the stakeholder engagement forum is, therefore, an important regulatory prerequisite for the planned auction of the 3.5Ghz spectrum before the end of this year.
“Accordingly, the Commission has called on interested stakeholders and members of the public to participate and make contributions to discussions around this important draft document.
“In line with the objectives of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) for a Digital Nigeria, and the positioning of Nigeria as an early adopter of digital technology as well as a major participant in the growing global digital economy, the successful and timely deployment of 5G is crucial for the country.”
Adinde says the 5G technology is expected to facilitate several emerging technologies, generate innovative use cases, spur significant socio-economic growth and create jobs.
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