9Mobile: Technical capacity key for transfer of licence to preferred bidder - Dambatta

Success Damian:

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Dambatta, has stated that the technical capacity of the preferred bidder in the sale of 9Mobile must be established before the transfer of license.

Dambatta who spoke at a media parley in Lagos on Monday, said there are two components that make up the sale of 9Mobile, adding that one of them is financial driven by Central Bank of Nigeria.

He said “A preferred bidder has emerged, after CBN has done the important work of establishing the financial capacity of the preferred bidder; then NCC will take its turn to access the preferred bidder on its technical capacity.

“I have to say that this process of emergence of the preferred bidder is with full participation of the representatives of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

“The license both operational and spectrum in the possession of  9Mobile will only be transferred to the preferred bidder, with recourse to the board of NCC, on satisfaction, that the preferred bidder has the technical capacity,” Dambatta said.

He however stressed that the process has not taken place.

Dambatta further stated that NCC insists on doing a technical evaluation of whoever emerges as a preferred bidder and assured that the report of the assessment and the decision will be made available to the media on the outcome of the assessment.

“We have emphasized on many occasions that the process must be open and transparent, there was nothing like a regulatory mistake in handling the sale of 9Mobile,’ Dambatta disclosed.

Dambatta recapped the Commission’s 8point agenda which include facilitating Broadband penetration through provision and optimization of access to, and use of affordable fixed and mobile broadband in Nigeria; Improved Quality of Service by promoting the availability of reliable, interoperable, rapidly restorable critical ICT infrastructure that are supportive of all required services.

Other aspects of the agenda include Optimizing usage and benefits of spectrum; Promoting ICT innovation and investment opportunities; Facilitating strategic collaboration and partnership with relevant stakeholders to foster ICT for uustainable economic development and social advancement, among others. 

He further stated that NCC is committed to achieving the three ‘A’s of Availability, Accessibility and Affordability which he said is hinged on broadband deployments across the country.

Dambatta said a huge milestone was achieved recently with the licensing of four infracos (Infrastructural Service Providers), adding that with a combination of licenses for infrastructure provisioning and spectrum auctions, and re-farming of some of the existing spectrum to make them more efficient, the commission is hopeful to attain the recommendation of the National Broadband Plan and possibly surpass it by the end of 2018.

“Let me also mention that the International Telecommunications Union report credited to Nigeria indicated a 22% broadband penetration since 2017. Therefore, the commission is working assiduously to accomplish the 30% national target for 2018 as envisaged in the National Broadband Plan (NBP2013-2018).”

The EVC spoke on the commission’s efforts to ensure quality of Service. He said the commission has directed service providers to live up to the expectations of the consumers or be sanctioned according to relevant laws guiding the industry.

While stating that the consumers remains the king, Dambatta said the Telecommunications have made significant impacts in transforming the Nigerian economy. He said that the National Bureau of Statistics in the 1^st Quarter of 2017 said it contributed N1.45 trillion to the GDP and in the 2^nd Quarter, it was N1.549 trillion.