The simulated auction, which took place on Friday, December
10, 2021 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, was preparatory to the main
auction scheduled to take place on Monday, December 13, 2021 at same venue.
The conduct of the simulation exercise was in line with the
requirements stipulated in the Information Memorandum (IM) for 3.5 GHz spectrum
auction. The IM is a document that defines the process for the licensing of the
3.5 GHz spectrum band, earlier published on the Commission’s website at the
inception of the auction process.
Using the Ascending Clock Auction System for the mock
session, the three qualified bidders for the 3.5 GHz spectrum, namely MTN
Nigeria, Mafab Communications Ltd, and Airtel Networks Ltd, participated in the
software-based simulated auction exercise.
The mock auction was witnessed by the Chairman, Board of
Commissioners, NCC, Prof. Adeolu Akande; the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta; Executive
Commissioner, Technical Services, Ubale Maska and the Executive Commissioner,
Stakeholder Management, Adeleke Adewolu.
Others, who witnessed the mock auction include
representatives from the bidding companies, senior management staff from
relevant departments of the Commission, technical consultants, software
consultants, legal consultants and other external observers.
Following the successful mock auction, the stage is set for
the Commission to license two slots in the 3.5 GHz spectrum band, expected to
be picked by successful bidders at the end of the Main Auction on Monday,
December 13, 2021.
The auction on Monday will mark a turning point in Nigeria’s
determination to harness the benefits of 5G for the nation’s socio-economic growth,
as concrete roll-out of 5G commences in 2022.
In a brief remark at the Mock Auction, Danbatta said the
Commission had taken all necessary steps to ensure due diligence on the
credibility of the consultants and to safeguard the integrity of the software
solution being used to carry out the implementation of this historic national
assignment.
“This is consistent with the open, credible transparent and
fair manner by which the Commission is known to have conducted previous auction
processes, which have been locally and globally applauded,” Danbatta said.
In order to ensure a fail-proof process, the Commission also
carried out a simulation of the manual process of the auction, aside the
electronic mock. This is to ensure that bidders are also familiar with the
manual auction in case of any circumstances on the Main Auction Day that may
warrant a need to switch to the Manual Auction. It is pertinent to note that
the two forms – electronic and manual – are clearly stated in the IM and they
follow the same process.
Representatives of the bidding companies, the Commission,
the consultants and other observers at the Mock Auction expressed satisfaction
with the conduct of the simulation exercise, which also provided opportunity
for the Commission to perfect the auction
process ahead of the Main Auction.
The Commission had commenced the process for the auction of
the 5G spectrum in the last quarter of the 2021 and had, since then, carried
out a number of activities ahead of the Main Auction.
October 7, 2021, the Commission had published the Draft
Information Memorandum (IM) on the auction of the 5G spectrum on its website
(www.ncc.gov.ng) and issued a public notice in major channels, including print,
electronic, and new digital media. Comments on the draft IM were received by
the Commission up until October 28, 2021.
On November 3, 2021, the Commission held a stakeholders’
engagement forum in Lagos at which comments received from a broad segment of
stakeholders, including the major operators, were exhaustively discussed and
considered.
On November 10, 2021, the Commission published the Final IM,
and Stakeholders’ comments thereon on its website and the national dailies, and
set the deadline for the submission of bids on Wednesday, November 24, 2021.
As a responsive regulator, the Commission also proceeded to
accommodate concerns raised by some stakeholders, due to social disruptions,
and extended the date for submission of the bidding applications to Wednesday,
November 24, 2021 to Monday, November 29, 2021.
On December 1, 2021, the NCC announced the three companies –
MTN Nigeria Limited, Mafab Communications Ltd, and Airtel Networks Ltd – as
having successfully submitted their bids in line with the requirements of the
IM.
The Commission therefore wishes to thank all stakeholders
for all the support, collaboration and partnership they have offered to get to
this stage, and implores all stakeholders not to rest on their oars until the
bidding processes are concluded successfully. Thereafter, the Commission, as it
has now become its culture, will rally stakeholders into the next phase of the
implementation of the 5G policy.
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