Mixed Reactions over Mafab Communications 5G License

The talks of deploying a 5G network in Nigeria have progressed to the point where it is practically a reality.

The National Policy on Fifth Generation (5G) Networks has been adopted by the Federal Executive Council, which is good news for Nigeria’s digital economy.

In comparison to current technology, 5G networks provide tremendous benefits. It has a lot of benefits, including lower latency, faster bandwidth, more device density, longer node battery life, and more network flexibility.

Most countries have already started rolling out 5G and are taking full advantage and also reaping its benefits.

Nigeria is the first West African to begin 5G network experiments in 2019, when MTN Nigeria, the largest telecoms operator in the country, conducted spectrum trials in two of its facilities (Lagos and Calabar).

The first demonstrations were a breakthrough, thanks to backing from mobile operators such as Huawei, ZTE, and Ericsson.

Meanwhile, the NCC is said to have acquired their proposals to compete for the main spectrum.

Following a bid for the operation of 5G licencing from telecommunication companies, MTN Nigeria Plc, and a relatively unknown Lagos based firm, Mafab Communications Limited, emerged as winners for the available two slots. However, Mafab Communications has received a lot of criticism so far for a variety of reasons.

Mafab Communications is a company that provides and operates local interconnect and international carrier services, and it is directed by Alhaji Musibau Bashiru.

Having won the NCC 5G auction for $263.1 million, the company was incorporated last year, 2020, without a functional website, unlike its long-standing competitors like MTN, which had to hurriedly issue emergency shares to raise money to compete in the bid. Many people responded by claiming that the corporation is government-owned.

Another source of concern is Mafab Communications, an uncooperative new company in the Nigerian telecommunications space, whose official website, didn’t connect initially because the server has allegedly drained its bandwidth.

How does Mafab Communications intend to provide a fast, functional 5G network for the Nigerian populace?

As at the time, the company obtained the licence for the 5G network, its website couldn’t accommodate the number of visits to it as it displayed “server is momentarily unable to serve your request owing to the site owner’s bandwidth restriction being exceeded.”

The question remains, how would in the first place a relatively unknown company get one of the two available slots for the 5G auction? For a company that wants to run a 5G operation, why would their server display a bandwidth restriction?

If the whole of Nigeria switches to the 5G network, wouldn’t this be a case of many against one for Mafab Communications? If your bandwidth is restricted now from just visitation to your website, what would happen when the whole country fully goes operational?

For a company that was incorporated in July 2020 bearing a personal email and just won a multimillion contract begs so many questions.

However, Nigerians await when the country would fully go on a 5G operation, following this licence.

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