NCC Plans 6G Spectrum Deployment to Expand Wi-Fi Access

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.