Nigerian govt targets 2020 for deployment of 5G network

The Federal Government said it has started work on regulatory and policy framework that will enable the deployment of 5G network by 2020.

This was disclosed by the Executive Vice -Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, on Thursday in Abuja at a sensitisation workshop organised by the Global System for Mobile Association in collaboration with NCC.

Five G technology, which stands for fifth generation wireless system, has the capacity to offer subscribers incredible broadband speed. It is also expected to drive applications such as driverless cars and Internet of things.

Dambatta, who addressed journalists on the level of readiness of the country for the roll out of 5G connectivity, said 5G trials had started at the Eko Atlantic city in Lagos.

He said: “We are getting ready. 2020 will determine whether Nigeria will join other nations to roll out some 5G services or not. We will see. It all depends on readiness of the operators. The 5G spectrum bands will not be assigned to any operator for the deployment of any other services except 5G.

Read also: Active telephone lines hit 165m in October —NCC

The NCC boss also added that three spectrums – 26GHz, 38GHz and 42GHz – had been reserved for use in the roll out of the advanced technology.

The GSMA, which unveiled a report titled ‘Spotlight on Nigeria: Delivering a Digital Future’ at the event, noted that Nigeria’s mobile market contributed $21bn to Gross Domestic Product in 2017, representing 5.5 per cent of Nigeria’s total GDP.

According to the association, the country had witnessed the creation of nearly 500,000 direct and indirect jobs from the growth of the digital economy.

“Mobile connectivity has already improved the welfare of millions of Nigerians, opening the door to new digital possibilities and powering the country’s economic development,” said Head of Sub-Saharan Africa, GSMA, Akinwale Goodluck, who presented the report.

Goodluck said: “For Nigeria to take full advantage of the next phase of its digital transformation, it’s vital that collaboration between industry and government enables the right policy environment for millions more to benefit from ultra-fast mobile broadband.

“If policies don’t keep pace with the needs of society and technological innovation, there is a risk that citizens will be left behind and productivity and competitiveness will suffer”, Good luck said.

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