Airtel Nigeria pays NCC N72bn for operational license renewal

Airtel Nigeria has paid for the renewal of its license in Nigeria, but the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is yet to approve the license.

The telecommunications company’s operational license is set to expire in Q4 2021.

Ripples Nigeria gathered that Airtel Nigeria paid N71.61 billion for a ten year license that will expire in November 30, 2031. The spectrum license is categorised at 900MHz and 1800MHz bands.

The current license of the Bharti Airtel subsidiary will expire in November 30, 2021, a statement released and obtained on Wednesday showed.

“In January 2021, Airtel Networks Limited announced that its application for renewal of the spectrum licences in the 900MHz and 1800MHz bands had been approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

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“Pursuant to Section 43 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003 and Condition 20 of the Unified Access Service Licence (UASL), Airtel Nigeria applied to renew the UASL (operations licence) and spectrum licences in the 900MHz and 1800MHz bands which would otherwise expire on 30 November 2021

“Following the application, the NCC offered Airtel Nigeria the opportunity to renew its spectrum licences in the 900MHz and 1800MHz bands for a period of ten years, with effect from 1 December 2021 until 30 November 2031, which Airtel Nigeria accepted.

“Under the terms of the spectrum licences Airtel Nigeria paid 71.61 billion naira ($182 million) in respect of the licence renewal fees. The UASL is still under consideration by the NCC and formal confirmation of renewal is expected before the expiry date of 30 November 2021”, the statement reads.

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