Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has gathered opinion molders in the communications industry, to create people-centered policies for the adoption of 6GHz Open Wi-Fi.

L-R: Executive Secretary, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, Gbolahan Awonuga; Professor of Telecommunications Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof. Caroline Alenoghena; Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Abraham Oshadami; Public Policy Manager, Anglophone West Africa, Meta, Sade Dada; Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, NCC, Efosa Idehen and President, Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria, Tony Emoekpere, during a Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum on Emerging Technologies hosted by the Commission in Lagos on Thursday (September 19, 2024).

The stakeholder forum held in Lagos, aligns with NCC’s mission of effective regulation, consumer protection, research and development, market growth, and policy implementation.

Speaking at the stakeholder forum, Dr. Aminu Maida, the executive vice chairman/CEO of NCC, emphasized the commission’s role as a hub for decision-making, while recognizing the invaluable contributions of high-speed internet. He reiterated the commitment to align with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Our actions must be guided by decisions that consider inputs from all industry stakeholders.

“The 6GHz band, spanning 5925 MHz to 7125 MHz, provides a substantial spectrum to meet the growing demand for high-speed internet and advanced applications.

“Wi-Fi is crucial for distributing fixed broadband connectivity across homes, offices, and various environments,” he stated.

Speaking further, Dr. Aminu, who was represented by Abraham Oshadami, the Executive Commissioner for Technical Services at NCC, expressed enthusiasm for the stakeholder initiative.

He noted that the government aims to reposition the commission to seize opportunities through strategic focus areas driven by collaboration, data compliance, and digitalization.

He pointed out that most home internet traffic connects through Wi-Fi, making it essential to handle large data volumes and connect multiple devices reliably. As the current 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies become saturated, exploring other bands is imperative.

Meanwhile, Tony Izuagbe Emoekpere, President of ATCON, discussed the importance of spectrum allocation, investment in infrastructure, consumer benefits, digital inclusion, and global alignment.

He emphasized that the 6GHz band is being considered globally for IMT and Wi-Fi 6 deployment, urging Nigeria to align its policies with international standards to foster trade, collaboration, and innovation.

He highlighted the potential of Wi-Fi 6 to provide high-speed, low-latency internet to underserved areas, advocating for inclusive access and equitable distribution of technology, while ensuring affordability and consumer protection.

The forum also featured insights from Meta’s Fargani Tambeayuk, Director of Public Policy for Francophone Africa, who acknowledged the NCC’s efforts in achieving 66% internet traffic growth within a year.

According to him, Nigeria’s $2 billion fiber-optics project is a significant leap in connectivity. He emphasized that the internet is a key driver of economic growth and that the adoption of 6GHz will lead to prosperity.

Corroborating Fargani’s thought, Judith Okonkwo of Imisi 3D Creation who Lab co-presented on “Wi-Fi for a Digital-Driven Economy,” highlights the benefits of Real-time Remote Assistance (RRA).

RRA facilitates immediate support via live video, audio, and chat, improving efficiency and reducing costs across various sectors, including manufacturing, education, and entertainment.

Strengthening the discussion, Engr. Prof. Caroline Alenoghena from the Federal University of Minna discussed the opportunities presented by leveraging the 6GHz spectrum, including increased wireless capacity, reduced network congestion, and enhanced telemedicine capabilities.

She recommended spectrum studies, pilot projects, and investment incentives, urging international partners to support Nigeria’s 6GHz adoption through knowledge sharing.

To Daniel Obam, a resource person from Huawei noted the challenges in Nigeria’s transmission network, including a national fiber penetration rate of approximately 19%, compared to over 60% in Europe.

He emphasized the need for Nigeria to increase its capacity and explore the benefits of 6GHz technology.

But Dr. Bienvenu Agbokponto Soglo from Intel highlighted that extensive technical studies have confirmed that wireless access systems can operate within the 6GHz band without disrupting existing operations.

He noted that many countries have opened part of the 6GHz band for use and recommended that Nigeria do the same to foster innovation and connectivity.

Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PTECSSAN)on has picketed Huawei technologies Nigeria Limited situated at Oriental Hotel, Lekki in Lagos, over what it described as precarious working conditions of its staff.

Members of PTECSSAN, staff of Huawei as early as 8.30am Thursday, converged in front of the Oriental Hotel, bearing different placards and singing solidarity songs.

Comrade Okonu Abdullahi, general secretary of PTECSSAN, who led the team, accused the management of Huawei of engaging in anti-labour practices and has refused to go in line with international best practices.

According to him, the failure of the company to comply with the union’s demands after several warnings led to the picketing.

He said that the strike will no doubt destroy the activities of the company because it is going to be continuous until their demand is met.

“We were constrained to embark on this industrial action when it became apparent to us that your company is not labour friendly and is not interested in peaceful and amicable resolutions of the concerns of our members.

“This carefree attitude of the company has kept the strike action lingering this long and, also led to this action of ours today. We have resolved that the picketing acting shall be a continuous one until the company is cured of its errors-precarious working conditions it subject our members.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we shall not be backing down on the warning strike except the following are agreed with the union.”

In a statement PTECSSAN, amongst other things sought for immediate reinstatement of the three unjustified sacked members of the union; recognition of the fundamental rights of the employees to freely associate with the union; immediate recognition of the unions as negotiating body for the employees on workers’ welfare; immediate remittance of membership dues into the union’s accounts earlier provided.

Besides, they demanded for the immediate recognition of the years of service of these workers; immediate commencement of appropriate pensions deduction and remittance of same as required by the Pension Act; immediate negotiation on review of salaries of the workers to meet the economic reality in the country today, immediate approval of the National Health Insurance Scheme that covers the employees, their spouses, and four of their dependents as well as immediate enrollment of union members in the Group Life Insurance as stipulated in the Pension Reform Act 2004, Section 9(3) among others.

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.