The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has described radio spectrum as a critical national resource underpinning mobile connectivity, broadband services, satellite communications, emergency networks, financial platforms, and emerging smart technologies, as it unveiled a draft Spectrum Roadmap for 2026–2030 alongside new guidelines for opening the lower 6GHz and 60GHz spectrum bands.
The draft roadmap and guidelines were formally launched on Monday in Abuja as part of the Commission’s broader strategy to expand broadband access, drive investment, create jobs, and strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy.
Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, represented by the Head of Spectrum Administration, Atiku Lawal, emphasized the central role of spectrum in sustaining and advancing the nation’s digital infrastructure.
He noted that effective spectrum management is fundamental to meeting rising connectivity demands and enabling innovation across multiple sectors of the economy.
Maida said the Spectrum Roadmap is designed to provide a forward-looking framework that instills investor confidence, encourages innovation, and ensures the delivery of quality communication services nationwide.
“The initiatives are expected to stimulate broadband investment, expand digital infrastructure, create jobs, and strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy as the country positions itself to meet rising data demand and global competitiveness targets,” he added.
He stated that effective spectrum planning would help reduce broadband deployment costs, encourage network expansion into underserved and rural areas, and unlock new opportunities for businesses that depend on reliable digital connectivity.
The NCC EVC noted that demand for spectrum is increasing rapidly due to the growth of data-intensive applications, artificial intelligence, cloud services, and the Internet of Things, making smarter planning and more flexible regulation imperative.
The NCC further explained that opening the lower 6GHz and 60GHz bands would provide additional capacity for high-speed, affordable, and reliable connectivity, particularly for Wi-Fi services in homes, schools, businesses, and public spaces.
“Expanded access to unlicensed spectrum will lower barriers to innovation, support new digital services, and enable SMEs to leverage affordable connectivity for growth,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Engr. Joseph Emeshili, representing the Head of Spectrum Administration, described the roadmap as more than a technical document, characterizing it as a strategic blueprint to bridge the digital divide, expand economic participation, and make reliable connectivity accessible to all Nigerians, including those in rural communities.
He added that the lower 6GHz band would unlock the full potential of Wi-Fi 6, while the 60GHz band would support multi-gigabit wireless links for advanced applications such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and smart city development.
In his own remarks, Engr. Gidado Maigana, representing the NCC Executive Commissioner for Technical Services, Engr. Abraham Oshadami, stressed that robust spectrum planning is essential for achieving national broadband targets, attracting sustained investment, and ensuring Nigeria remains globally competitive.
Noting that stakeholder engagement would be key to strengthening the final policies, Maigana stated that expanded spectrum access would improve network quality, reduce deployment costs, and accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a digitally driven economy.
The Commission stated that the new roadmap and spectrum initiatives are aligned with national development priorities and the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of building a $1 trillion digital economy by 2030.
