A telecommunications company, Airtel Africa, has stated that its Nigerian subsidiary, Airtel Networks Limited, Airtel Nigeria, has paid N58.7 billion to renew its 2×10 MHz 2100 MHz spectrum license with the Nigerian Communications Commission.
This information was disclosed in a statement made by the company’s Company Secretary, Simon O’Hara, accessed by Nairametrics.
The statement also revealed that the renewed license would be valid for 15 years after the expiration of the previous license, which was on 31 April 2022.
Part of the statement reads, “This investment to renew the license reflects our continued confidence in the opportunity inherent across the Nigerian market, supporting the local communities and economies through furthering digital inclusion and connectivity.”
Emphasising the benefit of the new acquisition from NCC, the report states, “Furthermore, the deployment of 5G will accelerate the availability and efficiency of fixed wireless access products across the country, contributing towards Airtel Nigeria’s progress in meeting the National Broadband Plan targets.
“The acquisition of 2600MHz spectrum will complement our already strong spectrum position in the market to enhance network capacity and future-proof our growth opportunity,” the group noted.
Speaking about the new development, the Chief Executive Officer, Segun Ogunsanya of Airtel Africa, has made a statement in response to the development, stating that Nigeria is a market with vast potential for growth in mobile services in the future.
In his words, “Investment in new technologies and local infrastructure to enable this growth is a strategic priority for the Group and will ensure we can provide reliable and affordable services to local communities across the country. 5G is critical to these ambitions, and we look forward to launching new services to drive further digitalization across the country, facilitate economic progress and transform lives across Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, Airtel Africa’s Nigerian subsidiary acquired 100 MHz of spectrum in the 3500MHz band and 2x5MHz of 2600MHz from the Nigerian Communications Commission in January 2023. The purchase was made for $316.7 million in the local currency.
The additional spectrum is expected to help Airtel Africa invest in network expansion for mobile data and fixed wireless home broadband capability, including 5G rollout. It will provide significant capacity to meet the company’s growing data demands and enhance customer experience.
Airtel believes that the acquisition of the 5G spectrum will play a key role in its growth strategy by enabling the launch of higher-speed connectivity. The company aims to improve customer service and speed up digitalization for consumers, businesses, and the public sector.
