The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it is committed to deepening broadband penetration, protecting the consumers and ensuring smart deployment of infrastructure across the country.
Prof. Umar Garba Dambatta, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, of NCC said in his welcome address at the 3.5 GHz auction in Abuja, that the auction would herald a new era in mobile technology services deployment in Nigeria.
“Today’s auction is momentous in many regards and will usher Nigeria into the exclusive league of countries providing Fifth Generation Network (5G) service across the globe.
“I am particularly pleased to be associated with this auction process because when His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, brought us on board in the year 2015, we took a decision to reposition the Commission on a path that will ensure the uptake of all the opportunities that abound in the communications sector.
“We committed ourselves to deepen broadband penetration, protect the consumers and the smart deployment of infrastructure across the country. We further committed ourselves to strategically playing our unique role in driving the digital economy to support the government’s economic diversification agenda,” he said.
According to him, the commission has ensured the implementation of policies for effective communications resource management, strategic collaboration, and partnership, facilitating broadband penetration and improvement of Quality of Service (QoS)/Quality of Experience.
“Through these initiatives and efforts, the Commission ensured participation in International Telecommunication Union (ITU) activities and other international fora to keep abreast with global development in the Communications sector.
“The Commission has also developed Strategic Vision Plan, Strategic Management Plan as well as implementing the National Broadband Plan (NBP) and the National Digital Economy Plan and Strategy, (NDEPS). These plans were supported and facilitated by the immense contributions of the minister of communications and digital economy, Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami.
“The minister has been a driver and facilitator of all the initiatives of the Commission and his leadership of the sector has been an invaluable ingredient in all the attainments of the last two years.
“At this juncture, we remember all the international engagements, particularly the World Radio communications Conference, WRC -19, where harmonised Frequency Spectrum bands were allocated for the deployment of 5G technology.
“Further to these allocations at the international level, approval was granted for 5G trial in Nigeria on November 2019 and following the favourable outcome, the approval of Nigeria 5G Deployment Policy was equally granted by the federal government on September 8, 2021,” Dambatta said.
He, however, said that the auction represented a culmination of all the efforts at the international and national levels that prepared Nigeria for this momentous leap forward.
“In line with the 5G Deployment Policy and global best practices, the Commission has set in motion the process for the auction and will be offering two (2) lots in the 3.5GHz band with three (3) companies competing to acquire a licence for the available lots.
“The auction is based on the powers bestowed on the Commission by Section 121 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 as well as the Licensing Regulations 2019.
“I will like to assure you of our commitment to a transparent and fair Auction process,” he said.