NCC Moves Ahead With 5G Auction Amid Calls For Administrative Licencing

Some telecommunications operators in the country have requested that Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to issue them the 3.5GHz (gigahertz) spectrum for the deployment of fifth generation (5G) mobile technology through administrative licencing.

The disclosure which was made yesterday by the executive vice chairman, NCC, Prof Umaru Garba Danbatta, at a stakeholder forum for the final collation of Information Memorandum (IM) that would guide the 3.5GHz spectrum auction slated for December 19, 2022 in Abuja was however rejected by the Commission.

The Commission had sought active participation of stakeholders through deliberations towards the licensing of the available two lots in the 3.5GHz mid band spectrum for the rollout of 5G services in Nigeria.

The NCC is offering the remaining two Lots of 100 MHz TDD Spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band ranging from 3400 – 3500 MHz and 3600 – 3700 MHz, totalling 200 MHz for auction. This will be awarded to winning Bidders in 100 MHz Lot.

The Commission has set the Reserve Price (RP) for one Lot of 100MHz TDD for a 10- year licence tenure fixed at US$273,600,000.00 or its equivalent in naira at the prevailing Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) rates at the time of the auction.

Prof Danbatta stated that following the successful auction of the initial two lots in December 2021, “the Commission has received requests to administratively licence the available lots at the previous auction fee.