5G auction: We’re not aware of Tinubu’s involvement in Mafab – NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has declared that it is nor aware about the involvement of former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in Mafab Communications Limited, one of the winners of the 5G spectrum.

Mafab Communications Limited and MTN won the two slots for the 5G spectrum sold by the Commission in a public auction conducted on Monday, December 13, 2021, at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

Airtel Networks lost out in the bid process.

After 11 rounds of bidding, Mafab Communications Ltd. and MTN Nigeria emerged the two successful winners of the 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum auction.

The winning bid price for the auction is $273,600,000 for each lot of 100 MHz TDD.

Director of Public Affairs, NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, in a statement, said that a higher standard of integrity and openness was emplaced in the 5G auction.

According to him, “Consistent with the Commission’s long-established regulatory culture and tradition, the process leading to the auction of the 5G spectrum was open, fair and transparent in the most, as the public auction followed a rigorous due process and was witnessed by a cross-section of stakeholders as observers, including the media, the Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), the Independent Corrupt Practices  and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as well as civil society groups.”

NCC stated that Mafab Communications Limited is a corporate entity duly licensed by the Commission to conduct telecommunications business.

It noted that the company, which is in good regulatory standing with the Commission, currently holds international data access (IDA), inter-connect data exchange (IDE) and Value-Added Service (VAS) licences.

Adinde noted that eligibility criteria for participation in the auction were set out in the Information Memorandum (IM).

“It is pertinent to state that the Information Memorandum (IM) for the auction of the 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum clearly set out eligibility criteria for participation of interested bidders in the auction, which included that new companies could participate in the bid.

“Over the years, the NCC has had spectrum auctions and as an independent regulatory agency, has maintained an undisputable reputation of successful auctions based on openness, fairness and transparency, a fact widely acknowledged locally and internationally.

“NCC’s auction proceedings conform to international best practice, devoid of any undue influence or interferences whatsoever.

“A higher standard of integrity and openness was emplaced in the 5G auction as the process was, for the first time, witnessed by the public both physically and virtually through a link provided by the Commission on its official website,” Adinde said.

The Commission assured Nigerians that it is prepared to drive the implementation of the next phase of the deployment of the new technology, in line with the Federal Government’s approved plan, for the benefit of all citizens.