Eugene Ikemefuna Juwah, the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC
The Nigerian Communications Commission on Monday announced the resumption of the 2.6Gigerhertz spectrum auction.
It also said all interested parties
should be informed that the auction of frequency spectrum licences in
the 2.6 GHz band had resumed.
In a statement made available to our
correspondent, the commission’s Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Eugene
Juwah, stated that the Information Memorandum, giving details of the
requirements, revised timetable, and the auction process, had been
published on the commission’s website.
Juwah, therefore, urged interested applicants to download the document from the website, “and be guided accordingly.”
The development comes five days after the
NCC fixed second quarter of the year to auction the 70/80Gigahertz
spectrum band in order to deepen broadband penetration and aid
ever-present Internet access in the country.
Juwah had said that the auctioning had become essential because the 70/80GHz spectrum band was yet to be explored in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, The PUNCH reported
late last year that the Federal Government, through the NCC, had
suspended 260Ghz auction, citing administrative reasons.
Juwah had said then, “The NCC, on behalf
of the Federal Government of Nigeria, regrets to inform parties
interested in participating in the auction of Frequency Spectrum
Licences in the 2.6 GHz band that it has decided to postpone the process
of the auction.
“This postponement is to enable the
conclusion of all administrative requirements aimed at ensuring that the
licences are delivered to winners and be effective immediately on
conclusion of the auction.”
The Minister of Communications
Technology, Dr. Omobola Johnson, stated in Lagos late 2014 that auction
would be concluded in the first quarter of 2015.
Findings from investigations, however,
showed that the country’s GSM operators and others were keenly
contesting for the 2.6GHz spectrum licence. It was gathered that MTN,
Airtel and Etisalat had submitted bids for the licence before the
suspension.
The Director of Spectrum Administration
at NCC, Austin Nwaulune, said the 2.6GHz spectrum auction process would
be out soonest, stressing that the whole process was to ensure the
creation of pervasive broadband and enable ubiquitous Internet access in
the country.
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