The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Wednesday suspended
the Spectrum Trading Guidelines (2018) for the nation’s
telecommunications industry.
A statement by the Director Public Affairs of the Commission Dr
Henry Nkemadu said it was part the decision taken by the Board of
Commissioners of the Commission at its recent meeting.
Nkemadu said the board “rose from its meeting recently with this
position and is informing all licensed telecommunications
operators, prospective investors, industry stakeholders and the
general public in that regard.”
Nkemadu said: “The Board had earlier taken the decision for
Spectrum Trading in response to telecommunications global dynamics
as well as the efforts to optimally utilize and maximize the
benefits of the Spectrum scarce resource.
“Spectrum is a scarce commodity which when inefficiently
utilized greatly limits broadband coverage and speeds.
“The current Spectrum Trading Guidelines were developed in 2018
after industry-wide consultations and this instrument allows that
the Spectrum resource be traded on the Secondary Market through
Transfer, Sharing or Leasing upon satisfying stipulated regulatory
conditions.”
He explained that the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP)
2020 – 2025 launched by President Muhammadu Buhari, in March 2020
made it imperative for the review of the guidelines.
He noted that the review was “to ensure that unutilized Spectrum
is fairly traded and to facilitate rollout by other operators
amongst others.”
Dr Nkemadu said: “This is to address the need for ubiquitous
broadband deployment to accelerate penetration and access in line
with the economic Agenda of the Federal Government.
“In accordance with the NNBP 2020 – 2025, for optimal use of
spectrum, licensees have the obligation of the Use it or Lose It
Policy because idle high demand spectrum does a disservice to
poorly served populations and should be released for effective use
as may be required to Promote Efficient Use of assigned
Spectrum.
“The ‘Use it or Lose it’ rule should therefore apply in all
instances where assigned spectrum is found to be non-utilized or
underutilized and ensures unutilised spectrum is fairly traded to
facilitate rollout by other operators.
“In response to the need for the review of these Guidelines as
highlighted above, and also following Paragraph 12 of the Spectrum
Trading Guidelines, 2018 which vests the Commission with the right
to review/vary and modify these Guidelines from time to time as it
may deem fit, the Spectrum Trading Guidelines 2018 application in
Nigeria is hereby suspended until further notice, as declared by
the Board.”
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Wednesday suspended
the Spectrum Trading Guidelines (2018) for the nation’s
telecommunications industry.
A statement by the Director Public Affairs of the Commission Dr
Henry Nkemadu said it was part the decision taken by the Board of
Commissioners of the Commission at its recent meeting.
Nkemadu said the board “rose from its meeting recently with this
position and is informing all licensed telecommunications
operators, prospective investors, industry stakeholders and the
general public in that regard.”
Nkemadu said: “The Board had earlier taken the decision for
Spectrum Trading in response to telecommunications global dynamics
as well as the efforts to optimally utilize and maximize the
benefits of the Spectrum scarce resource.
“Spectrum is a scarce commodity which when inefficiently
utilized greatly limits broadband coverage and speeds.
“The current Spectrum Trading Guidelines were developed in 2018
after industry-wide consultations and this instrument allows that
the Spectrum resource be traded on the Secondary Market through
Transfer, Sharing or Leasing upon satisfying stipulated regulatory
conditions.”
He explained that the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP)
2020 – 2025 launched by President Muhammadu Buhari, in March 2020
made it imperative for the review of the guidelines.
He noted that the review was “to ensure that unutilized Spectrum
is fairly traded and to facilitate rollout by other operators
amongst others.”
Dr Nkemadu said: “This is to address the need for ubiquitous
broadband deployment to accelerate penetration and access in line
with the economic Agenda of the Federal Government.
“In accordance with the NNBP 2020 – 2025, for optimal use of
spectrum, licensees have the obligation of the Use it or Lose It
Policy because idle high demand spectrum does a disservice to
poorly served populations and should be released for effective use
as may be required to Promote Efficient Use of assigned
Spectrum.
“The ‘Use it or Lose it’ rule should therefore apply in all
instances where assigned spectrum is found to be non-utilized or
underutilized and ensures unutilised spectrum is fairly traded to
facilitate rollout by other operators.
“In response to the need for the review of these Guidelines as
highlighted above, and also following Paragraph 12 of the Spectrum
Trading Guidelines, 2018 which vests the Commission with the right
to review/vary and modify these Guidelines from time to time as it
may deem fit, the Spectrum Trading Guidelines 2018 application in
Nigeria is hereby suspended until further notice, as declared by
the Board.”