According to the Nigerian Communications Commission, Airtel Network Limited won the 3.5GHz spectrum band as the only bidder for the country’s 5G rollout.
Due to Airtel’s assignment of one of the available lots of 100 MHz TDD spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band at the NCC’s reserve price of $273.60 million, the NCC announced that there would be no auction.
This was revealed by the commission in a statement on Wednesday. Only two businesses had indicated interest in the auction of its 3.5GHz spectrum band as of the close of business on Monday, December 5, 2022, but only one had paid the necessary intention to bid deposit, according to it.
Airtel and Standard Network and Connections Limited were the firms (Standard Network).
It said, “However, only Airtel paid the Intention to Bid Deposit as stipulated in the Information Memorandum (IM) whereas, Standard Network sent an email appeal for the deadline to be extended by 12 working days which was not acceptable in view of the auction timetable.
“Having met all the provision in the IM, Airtel has, therefore, emerged as the sole bidder. Consequently, there shall be no further bidding and the Commission will proceed to the assignment stage in line with the published Information Memorandum guiding the licensing process.”
“High reserve price may result in the risk of spectrum being unsold,” Huawei warned during its most recent stakeholder interaction on “The Draft Information Memorandum” in November 2022.
The National Communications Commission (NCC) announced plans to grant two more 5G licenses during an auction scheduled for later in the year in its Information Memorandum on 3.5 GHz Spectrum Auction in October.
In an effort to sell the additional 5G spectrums for more money, the reserve price was established at $273.60 million.
