Following a Senate investigative hearing that cleared Fifth Generation (5G) technology of health and security risks, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has initiated a significant regulatory step towards 5G deployment in Nigeria. The NCC has inaugurated an 18-member committee tasked with developing the Information Memorandum (IM) for the auction of the 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum band, which is crucial for the early rollout of 5G services across the country.

The committee, inaugurated in Abuja by the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, is chaired by Oluwatoyin Asaju, Director of Spectrum Administration at NCC, with Ubale Maska, NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, serving as the Auction Adviser. Prof. Danbatta outlined the committee's comprehensive Terms of Reference (ToR), which include not only developing the IM for the C-band spectrum auction but also creating an award process for granting Spectrum licenses. The IM itself will detail the Commission's auction methodology, provide insights into the Nigerian telecommunications market, outline the available spectrum, describe the pre-qualification and auction processes, and offer an indicative timetable. The committee is also required to report regularly to the EVC on its progress.

Prof. Danbatta expressed satisfaction with the current stage of the 5G deployment process, particularly the established consensus among stakeholders regarding 5G's safety. He emphasized that the committee's work is a pivotal step towards realizing 5G services in Nigeria. He noted that the NCC has dedicated substantial resources to securing and releasing harmonized spectrum in a timely manner, essential for current and future service deployments that will underpin the fourth industrial revolution, including International Mobile Telecommunication (IMT-2020) services. This effort aligns with the Nigerian Communication Act (NCA-2003) and the NCC's strategic plan to manage communication resources effectively, enhance broadband penetration, and improve Quality of Service (QoS).

The EVC highlighted the Commission's active participation in international forums, especially the International Telecommunication Union Radio Telecommunication Sector (ITU-R) study groups. These engagements, conducted over the last two ITU-R study cycles leading up to World Radio Communication Conferences (WRC-15 & WRC-19), were instrumental in securing strategic spectrum allocations for IMT services, particularly IMT 2020. Through extensive collaborations with governmental and non-governmental organizations at national, regional, and continental levels, harmonized frequencies for 5G deployment in Nigeria have been successfully secured.

Furthermore, Prof. Danbatta detailed the NCC's proactive measures to acquire premium spectrum. Recognizing the need for a 3.5GHz spectrum band with excellent propagation characteristics for capacity and coverage, and a robust device ecosystem, the NCC made significant resource commitments to secure an additional 160MHz in this band from Nigerian Communication Satellite Limited (NigComSat). This culminated in a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NCC and NigComSat. Given that the 3.5GHz band is adopted by approximately 70% of global 5G deployments, it became imperative to immediately re-purpose this band in Nigeria for auction, adhering to international best practices.

Prof. Danbatta stressed that while the Commission has successfully conducted auctions in the past, extra effort is required for this exercise due to 5G technology's nascent global adoption. He tasked the committee with benchmarking its activities against other countries that have successfully deployed 5G through similar spectrum auctions. Ubale Maska, the Auction Adviser, reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to its mandate, while Oluwatoyin Asaju, the Committee Chairman, informed the EVC that the NCC, in line with the NCA-2003, had submitted a request to the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC) for a bulk allocation of 380 MHz bandwidth (3.52 – 3.9 GHz) within the 3.5 GHz band. Both confirmed that the committee's diligent work would establish a strong foundation for 5G deployment in Nigeria, though Maska noted that the committee's work is contingent upon the final approval from the NFMC before 5G deployment can commence.