NCC chairs ministerial broadband implementation steering committee Advertisment Finally, both MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications have fulfilled their payments for the 5G spectrum auctioned by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in December 2021. TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports MTN had earlier completed its payments, while Mafab completed its payments on Thursday, following apprehension expressed by NCC. Nigeria raised the total sum of USD563,100,000 (roughly N231 billion) in the auction of 3.5GHz spectrum band for the deployment of 5G network technology across the country.
Through the auction, the Nigerian government through the NCC offered spectrum for 5G roll out in the country in the 3.5GHz band. According to the NCC, the sum raised includes the prices for the right to use licences, and investment commitments tied to the band as well as the premium paid. TNG reports Nigeria's main mobile operator, MTN Nigeria and a little known operator, Mafab Communications Ltd secured the 3.5GHz spectrum band auctioned by the NCC.
Announcing the outcome of the auction, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta said the auction was won at $273,600,000 per lot. TNG reports the two lots auctioned by the NCC brings the total sum for the auction to $547,200,000 at the main stage of the exercise. Meanwhile, MTN made the highest bid of the sum of $15,900,000 at the assignment stage of the exercise to be assigned the preferred lot of lot one, while Mafab was assigned lot two at no extra cost. The NCC adopted the Ascending Clock Auction format for the main stage of the auction, which ended after round 11 before proceeding to the assignment stage. MTN, having made the highest offer at the assignment stage was given the right to select its most preferred Lot and it selected Lot 1 (3500-3600 MHz), while Lot 2 (3700-3800 MHz) is consequentially assigned to Mafab. TNG, meanwhile, reports Airtel as the third bidder fell off the exercise at the 11th round of the main stage of the auction.
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