December 03, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has rebutted a report in a national daily of December 2021, alleging that the Commission moved the 5G deadline after only MTN submitted a bid.”
The publication had alleged that “the Commission was forced to move the November 24 deadline for the submission of the bid and payment of the ten percent fee of $20 million after it emerged that only MTN Nigeria had complied with the requirement.”
But in swift reaction to the allegations, NCC in an official statement issued Thursday, signed by the Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, stated that NCC maintains an unimpeachable record and reputation based on precedents of open and transparent spectrum auctions over the years, which had earned it both local and international recognition.
The Commission noted that, as part of the regulatory processes leading to the auction of the 3.5GHz spectrum, the regulatory body had carried out the following activities, adding that on October 7, 2021, the Commission exposed the Draft Information Memorandum (IM) on the auction of the 5G spectrum on its website and issued a public notice in major media channels, including print, electronic and broadcast media. Comments on the draft IM were received by the Commission up until October 28, 2021.
On November 3, 2021, the Commission said it held a stakeholders’ engagement forum in Lagos where comments received from a broad segment of stakeholders, including the major operators, were exhaustively discussed and considered.
“On November 10, 2021, the Commission published the Final IM, and Stakeholders’ comments thereon on its website and national dailies, and set the deadline for the submission of bids on Wednesday, November 24, 2021” .
“On November 23, 2021, just a day before the deadline for the submission of bids, Air Traffic Controllers went on strike, disrupting flight operations in Lagos” .
It further stated that, as a responsive regulator, and following concerns expressed by industry stakeholders and potential bidders for the 5G Spectrum, including MTN, about the possibility of meeting the deadline in light of the flight disruptions, the Commission, relying on the provision of the IM, announced an extension of the deadline from Wednesday, November 24, 2021 to Monday, November 29, 2021.
According to NCC, “on November 23, 2021, MTN had communicated to the Commission via email, asserting its concerns about the air traffic controllers’ strike and how it is likely to impede timely submission of their bid” .
On December 1, 2021, the Commission said it announced that at the close of the bid submission date of November 29, 2021, three companies, namely MTN Nigeria, Mafab Communications Ltd and Airtel Networks Ltd had successfully submitted their bids in line with the requirements of the IM.
“The public also needs to know that all three bidders are existing licensees of the Commission under different license categories”, the statement added.
The Commission equally stated that the story is replete with misinformation, which is capable of misleading industry stakeholders, the general public, and undermining the integrity of the ongoing process for the auction of the 5G spectrum.
“The Commission is consistently guided by its well-established principles of fairness, firmness and forthrightness and wishes to assure Nigerians that it is determined to ensure the successful implementation of the 5G Auction spectrum, which is set to take place on December 13, 2021”, NCC assured.
About the Author
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
