SHALOM OLALEYE
The former Acting Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Bashir Gwandu, has urged African countries to harness the economic potential of 5G technology by utilizing low-band spectrum.
Speaking at the 9th Sub-Sahara Spectrum Management Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, Gwandu highlighted the significant $130 billion economic impact 5G could generate for the continent by 2030.
The opportunity is massive, but African nations must collaborate to take full advantage of 5G’s economic and technological benefits, he said.
Gwandu called on African delegates at the World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC) to advocate for the allocation of the 600MHz spectrum to mobile technology, emphasizing the importance of overcoming the continent’s urban-rural connectivity divide. He also urged the African Union Commission (AUC) to ensure that all African countries support the 600MHz mobile allocation at the next WRC-27 conference.
We must not repeat past mistakes; instead, we should ensure that no African country blocks another from accessing this vital spectrum, he said.