Pervasive and Mobile Computing Research Group (PMCRG), a specialised re­search arm within Obafemi Awolowo University’s (OAU) Africa Centre of Excellence (ACE) ICT-Driv­en Knowledge Park, has formally requested the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to release findings of a 2022 study on the telecommunications competition land­scape in Nigeria.

Prof. Adeniran Oluwaranti, coordinator, PMCRG, in a statement, said that the request was made under the Freedom of Informa­tion Act (FOI), which underscores PM­CRG’s commitment to driving trans­parency and innovation in Nigeria’s rapidly evolving ICT sector.

According to Prof Adeniran, the NCC engaged the globally renowned consulting firm, PricewaterhouseC­oopers (PwC), in 2022 to assess com­petition in the critical areas of colloca­tion and infrastructure sharing (CIS) within the telecom industry.

However, despite the completion of the study, its findings have not yet been made public.

Oluwaranti led PMCRG, is seeking access to this report to support academic research, policy formation, and industry-wide inno­vations.

Oluwaranti explained the importance of the report and how the lack of transparency could slow progress in the telecom industry.

“The findings of the 2022 NCC study have the potential to impact both consumers and businesses sig­nificantly. For consumers, the report could shed light on the level of compe­tition in the telecom market, helping regulators ensure fair pricing and service quality.

“For businesses, the study could identify new opportunities for infra­structure sharing and improved market access.

“Ultimately, this report could lead to policy decisions that shape the fu­ture of Nigeria’s telecom landscape, ensuring that it remains competitive and innovative,” said Prof. Oluwaran­ti.

Oluwaranti, expressed optimism about the release of the report.

“We are hopeful that the NCC will adhere to the FOI request and release the report. Transparency is key to fostering an innovative and compet­itive telecommunications sector. We believe that having access to this data will benefit not only the academic community but also the entire coun­try by promoting evidence-based pol­icy making,”.

“The CIS segment is crucial to fos­tering competition in Nigeria’s tele­communications landscape. With the report’s findings, give stakeholders a clearer understanding of the current competitive landscape, the challenges, and the growth opportunities. This is vital not only for improving regula­tory frameworks but also for driving innovation in areas like 5G/6G net­works, cybersecurity, and rural con­nectivity”, the statement reads.

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced plans to deploy the 6G spectrum in Nigeria to enhance access to Wi-Fi technology.

Speaking on Thursday at a consultative forum on emerging technologies in Lagos, Aminu Maida, executive vice-chairman of the NCC, highlighted the need for efficient management and utilisation of spectrum resources.

The event, tagged ‘The Use of 6GHz (5925-7125) MHz for WiFi and IMT Applications in Nigeria’, sought input from stakeholders on how the new frequency band can be optimally used.

Maida, represented by Abraham Oshadami, executive commissioner of technical services at the NCC, explained that existing spectrums, including 5G and 2G, are becoming congested due to increasing demand, necessitating the introduction of additional frequency bands such as 6GHz.

“The 6GHz band offers a substantial increase in available spectrum, crucial for supporting the growing demand for high-speed internet and advanced applications,” Maida said.

“Wi-Fi plays a crucial role in the distribution of fixed broadband connectivity in homes, offices, and various other environments.”

Maida further explained that with Wi-Fi 6, users will benefit from increased capacity, enabling seamless connectivity for emerging technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), which current spectrums cannot fully support.

He added that the introduction of unlicensed Wi-Fi 6 will lower the cost of internet access.

Caroline Alenoghena, a telecommunications engineering professor at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, stated that the introduction of the new spectrum is necessary to reduce congestion in existing Wi-Fi frequencies.

She noted that the 6G band would create new opportunities for start-ups in the digital services sector.

Tony Emoekpere, president of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), emphasized that the proper allocation of the 6G spectrum would enable the deployment of diverse technologies and help democratise access to urban, semi-rural, and rural areas.

He said, “Foreseeable challenges are things like infrastructure requirements, the whole of investment that’s required, competing technologies, because some of these technologies are still being developed.”

Emoekpere described the consultative forum as standard practice in the industry to ensure that all stakeholders are involved in the development of new technologies and policies.

IFC has provided new financing to three of Airtel Africa plc’s subsidiaries with the aim of bringing high-speed mobile connectivity to more than 37 million subscribers in sub-Saharan Africa.

IFC’s $200 million loan will support the expansion and modernization of Airtel Africa’s network, as well as further investment into its distribution infrastructure, with a continued focus on rural areas.

Across Africa, approximately 600 million people lack access to 4G mobile coverage. In many countries across sub-Saharan Africa, the availability of mobile internet, and network performance, are below regional averages.

Despite this connectivity gap, up to 86 percent of firms on the continent use mobile phones for business operations, according to IFC’s recent report on digital connectivity in Africa. IFC’s financing is intended to help close this gap.

The new financing will take the form of a sustainability-linked loan, with key performance indicators related to the main pillars of Airtel Africa’s sustainability strategy: digital connectivity focused on smartphone adoption rates, financial inclusion for women, and gender balance within Airtel Africa’s own management team.

These three metrics will contribute to bridging the digital divide in Africa and support the equitable distribution of economic opportunities, poverty reduction, and financial stability across the continent. Most of the financing package is denominated in local currency, which IFC is providing to reduce the impact of currency volatility.

“IFC’s partnership with Airtel is critical to expanding high-speed connectivity in Africa,” said Mary Porter Peschka, IFC’s Regional Director for Eastern Africa. “Better connectivity means more opportunity. Our work with Airtel will help millions more people not only to come online but also gain access to high-speed networks so that they can better leverage the digital economy opportunities.”

With limited banking infrastructure in East Africa, mobile network operators are, in many cases, the only providers of financial services for consumers in these markets. In particular, women are especially reliant on this form of mobile banking.

Increasing digital connectivity is therefore a way to increase financial and gender inclusion.

Airtel Africa intends to partner with local and regional financial institutions to further enhance the mobile money eco-system by providing additional financial services to all customers across the region, further enabling the economic empowerment of women.

Airtel Africa’s Group CEO, Sunil Taldar said: “The expansion of our network is critical to our ambition of bridging the digital divide across Africa. This ambition can only be unlocked through continued investment into the region, and we welcome the partnership with IFC to enable this and further support our sustainability strategy of transforming lives and building better futures for communities across Africa.”