Nigeria’s Minister of Communications & Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) has given clarifications that no license has been issued for the deployment of 5G network services in the country.
The Minister said the clarification was based on available records in his office and the earlier report received from the industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC.
Pantami revealed that the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC), of which he is the Chairman, has neither deliberated on nor released any bulk frequency spectrum for the deployment of 5G.
The Minister said in a statement he personally signed that this clarification became necessary based on raging public concern about the health implications of the deployment of Fifth Generation Mobile Networks (5G) in Nigeria.
He stated that a three-month study trial commenced on the 25th of November, 2019 in order to critically review and study the health and security implications of deploying 5G in Nigeria.
“As part of the study trial process, I directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that a team of experts, security agencies and other stakeholders fully participate in the trial process and my office also invited these agencies to participate in the trial,” he explained.
The trial process he said has been concluded and the study and reporting process, according to him is currently ongoing.
Pantami noted that President Muhammadu Buhari, places a premium on the welfare, health and security of Nigerians, as such, “our desire for technological advancement will never be at the expense of the health and welfare of our citizens.”
According to him, “Government will not act on the speculations only, but rather we will make an informed decision on 5G after due consultation with experts and the public. I have also directed the NCC to engage citizens on any questions or concerns they may have regarding 5G.”
The Minister thanked the general public for reaching out to his ministry on the matter and advised Nigerians to rest assured that government will always take the welfare, health and security of the public into account while considering the deployment of any technology.
DigitalTimesNG recalls that in July 2018, MTN Nigeria announced that it will begin to commercially deploy 5G technology in Nigeria before 2020, to enable the telecommunication giant to provide better data services at a more affordable cost to its subscribers.
And on Monday, November 25, 2019, true to its announcement in 2018, MTN commenced its 5G network trial in Abuja, Nigeria, the first for any country in West Africa.
Speaking at the trial in Abuja, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami pointed out then that the federal government was conversant with the fact that the information and communications technology (ICT) sector was one of the critical sectors of the economy.
The minister acknowledged the delay in getting approval from the regulatory authority, but however, said he looked forward to a successful deployment of the 5G network.