The Nigerian Communications Fee has introduced plans to make extra spectrum out there within the decrease 6 GHz and 60 GHz bands beneath a proposed Spectrum Roadmap overlaying 2026 to 2030, a transfer meant to ease community congestion, develop broadband entry and help Nigeria’s aim of constructing a $1 trillion digital financial system by the tip of the last decade.
The proposal was unveiled on Monday at a stakeholders’ consultative discussion board, the place the telecoms regulator indicated a shift towards extra predictable, investor-friendly spectrum insurance policies in response to quickly rising information demand from households, companies and new digital applied sciences.
Talking on the discussion board, the Government Vice Chairman and Chief Government Officer of the NCC, Aminu Maida, emphasised the central function of spectrum in Nigeria’s digital transformation. “Spectrum could also be invisible, but it’s indispensable,” he mentioned. “Behind each digital transaction, each on-line classroom, each linked system in Nigeria, there’s spectrum at work.”
The fee mentioned opening new spectrum bands would assist decongest networks, enhance service high quality and, over time, cut back broadband prices for customers and companies—elements thought of crucial for productiveness and international digital competitiveness.
Maida famous that spectrum demand is rising sharply because of the progress of cloud companies, synthetic intelligence, the Web of Issues and data-heavy enterprise functions.
In keeping with him, the roadmap is structured to offer buyers long-term certainty whereas concurrently increasing entry and enhancing high quality of service nationwide.
“The Spectrum Roadmap 2026–2030 is about making a clear, predictable, and enabling regulatory setting that helps funding, encourages innovation, and expands entry for all Nigerians,” Maida mentioned.
The NCC defined that the decrease 6 GHz band would allow the complete deployment of Wi-Fi 6 expertise, delivering sooner speeds, decrease latency and extra environment friendly connectivity in workplaces, faculties, hospitals, campuses and public areas.
The licence-exempt 60 GHz band, then again, is predicted to help multi-gigabit wi-fi techniques for data-intensive makes use of resembling good manufacturing, synthetic intelligence workloads, cloud computing and smart-city infrastructure.
Globally, Wi-Fi accounts for a big share of web site visitors, notably indoors, the place organisations rely closely on wi-fi networks for each day operations.
The fee mentioned opening these spectrum bands positions Nigeria’s infrastructure not just for cellular progress but in addition for the increasing information wants of enterprises and establishments.
Additionally talking on the discussion board, Head of the NCC’s Spectrum Administration Division, Atiku Lawal, described the roadmap as an {economic} technique slightly than merely a technical plan.
“The demand for high-speed, dependable connectivity is now not a luxurious; it has change into an absolute necessity,” he mentioned. “The Spectrum Roadmap 2026–2030 is greater than a technical doc; it’s a strategic blueprint for the nation’s digital future.”
Lawal added that efficient spectrum reforms may assist slender the digital divide by extending high quality connectivity to rural and underserved areas, with constructive spillovers for training, healthcare supply and the expansion of small companies.
In his keynote handle, the NCC’s Government Commissioner for Technical Companies, Abraham Oshadami, mentioned Nigeria’s positive factors in broadband penetration and 5G deployment should now be supported by proactive spectrum planning.
“Spectrum is a scarce nationwide asset and the spine of Nigeria’s digital financial system,” Oshadami mentioned. “The way in which we plan, assign, and regulate spectrum will decide our means to attain broadband targets, stimulate innovation, and strengthen international competitiveness.”
He famous that surging information consumption from mounted wi-fi entry, real-time functions and rising applied sciences is placing strain on current spectrum assets, making the discharge of latest bands unavoidable.
Oshadami added that the draft pointers would spell out deployment fashions, energy limits, interference-control measures and compliance frameworks to make sure environment friendly and orderly use of the brand new spectrum.
The NCC mentioned enter from telecom operators, expertise corporations and different stakeholders would inform the ultimate roadmap and pointers, underscoring its consultative and evidence-based method to regulation.
For Nigeria’s telecoms and expertise ecosystem, the deliberate reforms sign a renewed regulatory effort to align connectivity infrastructure with broader {economic} aims by utilizing spectrum coverage as a instrument to drive funding, productiveness and sustainable digital progress.