The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reiterated its commitment to expanding spectrum capacity to attract more investment, drive innovation, and improve the quality of telecommunications services across the country.
The Commission’s Head of Spectrum Administration, Atiku Lawal, stated this while speaking with journalists shortly after the conclusion of a two-day Consultative Forum with Stakeholders at the Digital Economy Complex, Mbora, Abuja, on the opening of the Spectrum Roadmap 2025–2030.
Lawal explained that the Commission’s focus is on increasing spectrum resources to support growing demand and enable better user experience. According to him, higher spectrum capacity would translate into improved quality of service for subscribers and open up new opportunities for innovation.
“What we are trying to do is to increase the spectrum resource capacities so that more investments and activities will come on board. If we attain high capacity, you have a better experience and better quality of service,” he said.
He noted that the opening of additional spectrum bands goes beyond improving connectivity, stressing that modern telecommunications now support critical services such as digital banking, e-commerce and other business activities.
“We are opening the bands not only to improve the quality of service but also to allow for innovations. It is not only about connection. People are making bank transactions, doing business, and engaging in many activities beyond just calling their relatives,” Lawal said.
He added that improved spectrum availability would enhance productivity across sectors, including healthcare, by enabling remote consultations and digital health services.
“We have doctors in remote places, and they should be able to connect from their villages to the National Hospital in Abuja to speak with consultants without those consultants having to travel. However, this cannot happen without spectrum,” he explained.
Lawal emphasized that the consultative forum was aimed at ensuring that more spectrum is made available to the telecommunications industry to support national development goals under the Digital Economy agenda.
Nigerian Newssphere recalls that the NCC generated about $500 million from the 5G spectrum auction conducted in 2022. The Commission disclosed that MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications paid a combined sum of $273 million for licenses in the 3.5 GHz spectrum band.
