5G: NCC to aunction two more slots on 3.5GHz Band this year

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has put up another two slots of spectrum in the 3.5GHz spectrum band for auction before end of 2022, to boost deployment of 5G services in Nigeria.

After 11 rounds of bidding that lasted eight hours, Mafab Communications Ltd and MTN Nigeria Plc emerged the two successful winners of the 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum auction for the deployment of 5G technology last December.

According to Director, Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, in a statement issued in Abuja this week, the new process for two additional 3.5GHz spectrum bandwhich was made public on 21st October 2022 with the publication of the Draft Information Memorandum (IM) for the auction on the Commission’s website, invited stakeholders to study the Memorandum for purposes of making submissions ahead of a review of the IM on 16th November 2022.

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The final IM is slated for publication on 18th December 2022, while applications will be received by the Commission from 21st November 2022. The closing date for the submission of application, the deadline for payment of mandatory Intention-To-Bid Deposit (IBD), and the Pre-Qualification Stage is set for 5th December 2022.

Qualified bidders would be notified on 5th December 2022 while notification and publication of the Mock Auction and Auction date will occur on the same day. The Mock Action is billed for 16th December 2022 just as the Auction proper takes place three days later, on 19th December 2022.

The process is anticipated to enter its grant stage on 21st December 2022 with the publication of provisional bid winners and the notification of provisional award of licence.

The year 2023 will open with the payment for Spectrum Licence and Operational Licence, where applicable, on 20th January 2023 and on the 23rd of January 2023, the auction process will be concluded with the publication of the result.

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Meanwhile, according to the Information Memorandum, pursuant to the issuance of the IM, the Commission reserves the right to make available additional information through the publication of further documentation. Therefore, interested parties are advised to stay abreast with developments in the licensing process by checking regularly for updates on the Commission’s website.