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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a draft National Spectrum Roadmap outlining its regulatory vision for the management and allocation of radio frequency spectrum between 2025 and 2030.
The roadmap, released by the Commission, pursuant to the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, provides a strategic framework for planning and deploying spectrum resources in line with Nigeria’s broadband expansion, digital economy agenda, and innovation objectives.
The Commission stressed that the document is strictly consultative and does not constitute legal, investment, or licensing advice.
According to reports by Orientalnews,the NCC aims to use the roadmap to enhance regulatory predictability, promote efficient spectrum utilisation, and align Nigeria’s spectrum policy with international best practices, as demand for wireless communication services continues to grow.
As part of the consultation process, the Commission has invited submissions from telecommunications operators, government agencies, broadcasters, satellite service providers, equipment manufacturers, and other stakeholders. It noted that feedback received during the exercise would shape the final policy direction.
The draft roadmap also identifies structural imbalances in Nigeria’s spectrum landscape, largely arising from historical allocation patterns since the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector in 2001.
It reviews successive spectrum assignments that facilitated the rollout of second- to fifth-generation mobile networks. While these allocations spurred rapid network expansion and attracted private investment, the NCC observed that cumulative assignments over time have resulted in uneven spectrum holdings among operators.
In some frequency bands, spectrum concentration has given certain licensees significant capacity advantages, while other bands remain underutilised. The Commission warned that such imbalances pose challenges to competition, service quality, and long-term efficiency.
To address these concerns, the NCC is proposing enhanced spectrum audits, improved planning mechanisms, and a stronger secondary market framework aimed at encouraging the optimal and efficient use of assigned frequencies.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
