Airtel Nigeria Limited, a telecom provider, Seals the sole bidder in Nigeria’s second round of licenses for the rollout of 5G technology.
Airtel and Standard Network & Connections Limited both submitted applications for the 3.5GHz spectrum, but only Airtel made the initial deposit required, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission on Wednesday.
The commission invited bidders to a meeting with stakeholders where it detailed the Information Memorandum (IM) on the availability of the spectrum units.
The two additional lots had drawn interest from two bidders, Airtel Networks, and another operator, Network and Connections Limited, Standard Networks, but as of Monday, December 5, 2022, the deadline to pay the expression of interest fee, Standard Networks had not complied and had instead requested a 12-working-day extension.
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Airtel was the only bidder, according to the commission, which claimed that the extension after the deadline for expression of interest was not permitted by its policies.
Due to Standard Network’s inability to make the IBD payment, the NCC was forced to name Airtel as the only bidder in the spectrum auction.
Following the statement outlining the 3.5GHz spectrum auction’s current status, Airtel complied with all IM requirements, making it the sole bidder for the auction.
The statement said, in part:
“The NCC hereby announces that by the close of business on Monday, December 5, 2022, only two companies expressed interest in the auction of the 3.5GHz Spectrum band namely; Airtel Networks Limited (Airtel) and Standard Network & Connections Limited (Standard Network).”
There will be no more bidding, according to the commission.
It states, “It (the NCC) will proceed to the Assignment Stage in line with the published Information Memorandum guiding the licensing process,”
NCC Qualifies MTN, Airtel, Other For 3.5Ghz Spectrum Auction
NCC Qualifies MTN, Airtel, and others for a 3.5Ghz spectrum auction for the implementation of fifth-generation (5G) networks in the nation by the Nigerian Communications Commission, or NCC.
MTN Nigeria Plc., Mafab Communications Limited, and Airtel Networks Limited are the qualified bidders who have satisfied the requirements for participation in the licensing process of the 3.5 GHz spectrum, including payment of the required Intention to Bid Deposit, IBD, as specified in the Information Memorandum, IM.
According to NAN, the NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, made this announcement in a press release on Thursday in Abuja.
The 3.5GHz spectrum band (the lower C-band), which is ineffective for satellite operations, has been retrieved from NIGCOMSAT and first allocated to the NCC for the deployment of 5G technology, according to Professor Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy.
The Mock Auction and the Main Auction dates have also been reiterated by the Commission. The Main Auction will take place on Monday, December 13, 2021, at the same location and time as the Mock Auction, which is scheduled to take place on Friday, December 10, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.
Mtn and Mafab Communications Won 2021 Bids
Due to the latest development, the mock and actual auction dates that the NCC had set for December 16 and 19 will now be cancelled.
Airtel had bid in the inaugural 3.5GHz spectrum auction in December 2021, but it was unable to do so when the threshold for bids was reached. In the end, it decided without participating in any further bidding, leaving Mafab Communications and MTN as the final winners.
Since then, MTN has launched its 5G network in various states, but Mafab has not.
MTN had expressed interest in bidding for the extra two lots in the ongoing 3.5GHz spectrum auction, but industry participants and the regulator objected, fearing MTN may monopolize the 5G market in Nigeria if allowed to bid twice.