NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Professor Umar Danbatta confirmed the commission’s readiness on Thursday, October 14, at the annual African Tech Alliance Forum (AFRITECH) 2021, held in Lagos with the theme: “Embracing Changes and Digital Transformation in the New Normal.”

Revealing that the NCC is working with operators to implement a number of initiatives to ensure network expansion, he also noted that this paradigm shift in communication has led to a significant increase in network connectivity requirements as a result of an unprecedented upsurge in internet traffic, occasioned by the use of a plethora of web applications.

He said “Already, we are set for the auction of some spectrum slots in the 3.5GHz band. The other day I was at the National assembly, I informed the senate that we were 95 per cent ready for 5G. Today as we speak, I am delighted to tell you that we are already at 97 per cent completion. Consistent with our mandate as enshrined in the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 (NCA-2003) and other guiding legislations, we have been working to ensure the penetration of broadband services in line with Federal Government’s targets, as contained in Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP), 2020 to 2025. The Committee set up to auction the Spectrum has already developed an Information Memorandum (IM) which is already published for inputs and comments from all industry stakeholders. Prior to this, a 5G deployment plan was developed and we have since secured Federal Government’s approval.”

Ericsson made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos, noting that subscriptions were increasing at a rate of about a million per day.

According to the report, China, North America and the Gulf Cooperation Council markets are leading the way on subscriber numbers, while Europe is off to a slow start.

It said that 5G subscriptions with a 5G-capable device grew by 70 million during the first quarter of 2021 and is forecast to reach 580 million by the end of 2021.

The forecast, which features in the 20th edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report, enhances the expectation that 5G would become the fastest adopted mobile generation.

It said that about 3.5 billion 5G subscriptions and 60 per cent 5G population coverage, had been estimated by the end of 2026.

The report, however, said the pace of adoption varies widely by region, adding that Europe was off to a slower start and has continued to fall far behind China, the U.S., Korea, Japan and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets in the pace of 5G deployments.

According to the report, 5G is expected to surpass a billion subscriptions two years ahead of the 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) timeline for the same milestone.

The report said that key factors behind the growth included China’s earlier commitment to 5G, availability and increasing affordability of commercial 5G devices.

It said that more than 300 5G smartphone models had already been announced or inaugurated commercially.

“This commercial 5G momentum is expected to continue in coming years, spurred by the enhanced role of connectivity as a key component of post-COVID-19 economic recovery.

“North East Asia is expected to account for the largest share of 5G subscriptions by 2026, with an estimated 1.4 billion 5G subscriptions.

“While North American and GCC markets are expected to account for the highest 5G subscription penetration, with 5G mobile subscriptions comprising 84 per cent and 73 per cent of all regional mobile subscriptions respectively,’’ it said.

The Senate gave this advice on Wednesday following the consideration and adoption of the report of the Joint Senate Committee on Communications, Science and Technology, ICT, Cyber Crime and Primary Healthcare and Communicable Diseases on the ‘Status of 5G Network in Nigeria and its impact on Nigerian citizens.’

It could be recalled that the Senate had on the 5th of May, 2020, considered a motion sponsored by Senator Uche Ekwunife, titled: “The Status of 5G Network in Nigeria and its technological impact on Nigerian citizens” and mandated the Joint Committee to investigate the matter.

Given the infancy of the technology, according to the upper chamber, it has become necessary for Nigeria as a country to pay more attention to “testing and researching potential health risk that may arise from the deployment of 5G network”.

The recommendation of the committee that the Federal Government should monitor the trend of 5G deployment around the world and engage in extensive sensitization of the public through all media channels before commercial deployment of 5G Network in the country was adopted by the Senate.

The Chairman of the joint committee, Senator Oluremi Tinubu presented the report.

Tinubu said the overwhelming aggregate opinions from majority of stakeholders was that it is appropriate for Nigeria to join the comity of nations that are engaged in the deployments of 5G for all its inherent gains.

She said the joint Committee is convinced that having witnessed what has been achieved by its ‘lesser ancestors’ such as 3G and 4G, the technological impact of 5G will be such that will revolutionise Nigerians’ way of life from education to agriculture, security to entertainment, and governance in general, if the technology is deployed.

She noted that there is no 5G Network deployment in Nigeria at the moment and that no licence has been issued to any Mobile Network Operator on commercial basis.

The Lagos Central lawmaker urged the relevant government agencies to prepare the ground by putting the necessary infrastructure and technology in place for its eventual deployment.

Rumours across the world, including Nigeria, had linked COVID-19 to 5G technology, prompting the Senate to embark on a thorough investigation to determine the veracity of the claims.

Tinubu said: “Also concerning the interaction between COVID-19 and 5G Network Technologies, the Joint Committee confirms and is convinced that there is no connection between them.

“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is caused by biological agent – virus – which is scientifically unconnected with the 5G technology.

“While the Joint Committee clarifies that there is no 5G deployment in Nigeria at the moment and that no liscence has been issued to any Mobile Network Operator on commercial basis, it is our recommendation that Nigeria should still observe the trend of 5G deployments around the globe and engage in extensive sensitization of the public through all channels before commencement of commercial deployments in the country.

Before now, there have been several controversy surrounding 5G technology deployment but with this agitation have been laid to rest.

The deployment process followed the successful signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU between the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, on Wednesday with the Nigerian Communications Satellite, NIGCOSAT on the clearing of C-band frequency for deployment of 5G services.

Under the agreement, NIGCOSAT is committing about 160Megs of C-band from which government will generate revenue from the sales to service providers through the NCC.

The MoU, according to the Executive  Vice Chairman  of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, has the blessing of the National Frequency Management  Council, NFMC which is chaired by the Minister  of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, Vanguard reports.

On the controversy surrounding the 5G technology, the EVC said it had already been addressed both on security and health related issues and that the Commission had gone further to sensitize the public on the research findings.

The Founder of Daystar Christian Centre said he studied how the 1918 pandemic affected Nigeria and found out that churches, mosques, schools and markets were also shut down at that time.

Adeyemi said “I went online, there was a pandemic 100 years ago, let me go and study it and check it out, because the interpretation that people are giving to this pandemic, they range from one extreme to the other. I don’t even want to go into the details now, but there’s quarrel on social media now; from 5G to 10G and other things. I decided to check, how did it affect Nigeria? I found a research article by a history lecturer at the University at Birnin Kebbi. Beautiful research! I had to buy it. But I was happy buying it, because when I read it, it was amazing, it dug into the British archives, all the records that the colonial officers kept. [In] 1918 September, when the thing hit, the way air travel now is the main thing for global transportation and it was air travel that moved the coronavirus around, it was sea travel that spread the influenza around then. The ships that brought sick people into the Lagos port; I got the names, the dates they arrived, how it spread in Nigeria. I’d tell you the one that I saw and almost screamed, they closed churches, they closed mosques, they shut down schools, they shut down markets. 1918. So, some of us now think it is the anti-christ that is at work, he does not want us to gather together and fellowship. We should just be thanking God that we have internet now and we can be relating without meeting together. They shut churches in 1918. So when the leader takes perspective like that, then you can calm people down and tell them there will be life after this thing.”

In an interview on Channels Television’s News At 10 on Sunday April 5, the Minister said he is yet to see any research linking 5G network with Coronavirus amid the discussion on the safety of the network.

He said “Firstly, it is not what is said online that government will work with. We are always taking decisions based on the opinions of experts, based on research. When it comes to health, we have (the) World Health Organisation and many health bodies. I just want you to bring out any research which they have conducted and (in which they) made their position about 5G’s relationship with COVID-19. I am yet to see anyone from the World Health Organisation. This is a body that accommodates our experts in health globally. We have ITU, the International Telecommunication Union. I just challenge you to let me know one expert or ITU as a body or any other professional body that conducted research and also made it public that this is the position.”

In a statement released on Saturday April 4 to counter rumors circulating on social media that 5G technology causes Coronavirus, Pantami stated that the Buhari-led administration will never seek technological advancement at the expense of the health and welfare of its citizens

The statement reads in parts “The National Frequency Management Council (NFMC) of which I am the Chairman, has not deliberated on or released any bulk frequency spectrum for the deployment of 5G. 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. Government will not act on the speculations only, but rather we will take 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. I wish to thank the general public for reaching out to us on this issue. We advise you all to remain rest assured that government will always take the welfare, health and security of the public into account while considering the deployment of any technology.”