Telecom
Spectrum War: Stakeholders Ask NCC to Reverse Sale to MTN
The decision of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to sell the nation’s valued asset to MTN Nigeria has generated negative reactions.
For some time now, the nation’s telecom sector has been embroiled in what could be regarded as a macabre dance between the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), and telecoms operators over the sale of digital spectrums.
According to industry watchers, this war of attrition, if not immediately arrested, may well deny the country another chance to join the rest of the world in the brave new world of digital broadcasting, if it fails to beat the deadline of July 2017 set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) for nations to join the digital super highway.
On the top burner of the controversy is the sale of 700MHz spectrum by the NBC to MTN Nigeria early last year.
At the time of the sale, Mr. Emeka Mba, director general of the NBC, had stated that the 700MHz spectrum was being sold to raise the funds to enable the country meet the ITU 2017 deadline for Digital Switch Over (DSO). However, the transaction has now become an issue of debate, owing to the circumstances surrounding it.
Mba had explained that the 700MHz spectrum had to be sold to MTN Nigeria to raise money when it became obvious that the Federal Government could not afford the extra expense.
According to him, the action was taken in order to avoid missing another ITU deadline, adding that the agency looked inwards and discovered that it could sell part of the broadcast frequency allotted to NBC, instead of letting it lie fallow.
Nigeria had missed the DSO deadline of July last year, with the NBC citing lack of fund from the Federal Government as reason for its inability to join the countries that were able to effect the digital switch as stipulated by the ITU.
However, stakeholders in the telecoms industry have described the sale of the 700MHz spectrum by the NBC to MTN as illegal, and have called for its outright cancellation.
They have also queried the rationale behind selling the 700MHz spectrum at a paltry sum of N34 billion, whereas the industry value was put at over N200 billion.
Okwudili Arinze, a manager at a telecoms service provider, expressed surprise that the NBC licensed MTN Nigeria Limited to use part of the 700MHz to provide digital television transmission (DTT), but so far nothing of such had been done. “Instead, MTN is planning to deploy the 700MHz spectrum to broadband services and not digital TV, which is contrary to the ITU agreement,” he said.
The 700MHz spectrum is currently used by the broadcasting industry worldwide but owing to its value in the cost effective deployment of broadband services, member nations of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), including Nigeria, signed a treaty on the transfer of 700MHz spectrum from the broadcasting industry to the telecommunications industry.
According to other telecom stakeholders, the NBC has neither the legal nor statutory right to make such a sale, which right they said, reside only with the NCC.
It is believed that MTN Nigeria used underhand means to get the NBC to approve the sale of the 700MHz spectrum to it under controversial and non-transparent circumstances, which observers say did not follow due process and best practice.
Last year, the NBC sold the 700MHz spectrum to MTN for N34 billion. The transaction allegedly failed to comply with the Communications Act 2003 as well as the Procurement Act 2007, both of which made clear provisions that such assets should be sold through competitive bidding process.
Mba had insisted that the NBC owned the 700MHz spectrum and sold it to MTN after a rigorous due process which included the approval from the Federal Government and the Frequency Management Council (FMC).
NBC is charged with the responsibility of driving the freeing up of the 700MHz spectrum band by the broadcasting industry for its eventual handover to the NCC. But the NBC has so far failed to complete the freeing up and transfer of the 700MHz spectrum within the initial July 2015 deadline. Another deadline of July 2017 has been set for completion of the transfer and Nigeria may yet miss the deadline if nothing is urgently done.
James Ekenwa, a consumer rights activist, said: “It is morally indefensible for the NBC to engage in the sale of a scarce and critical national resource, which it has been mandated to free up and hand over to the telecommunications industry. The sale process was not publicly advertised and there was no bid process which calls into question the methodology adopted by the NBC in determining what a fair price for the spectrum would be. Spectrum is typically auctioned through a bid process.”
With the sale of the 700MHz spectrum to MTN and its additional acquisition of 800MHz spectrum through its buy-out of Visafone, MTN now has an unusually large amount of the most valuable spectrum resource in Nigeria, which its competitors do not have access to and are unlikely to ever have access to.
The 700MHz spectrum signals travel longer distances than the higher frequencies and requires fewer cell towers to reach the same geographic areas. In addition, signals in this spectrum penetrate walls and other obstacles easier than existing spectrum currently used for cell phone networks.
Due to increased demand for spectrum by the telecoms industry, member nations of the ITU Regional Telecommunications Conference agreed to switchover from analogue to digital TV broadcasting since digital broadcasting requires much less spectrum and offers better quality.
After the digital switchover, the 700MHz was to be transferred to the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC) for onward transfer to the NCC.
The NBC however sold a portion of the 700MHZ meant for the telecoms industry to MTN as a Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) license, even though MTN has announced that the spectrum will be used for mobile broadband services.
Being the broadcast industry regulator, the NBC is not in a position to sell spectrum to MTN, a telecommunications operator for the provision of telecommunication services.
This transaction seems like a calculated attempt to provide MTN with the ammunition to dominate the data market too (they have already been declared dominant in the voice market by the NCC). Arinze queried: “Why will NBC single out MTN for the sale of this spectrum? What is their objective?”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently arrested Mba reportedly in connection with the about $170million (over N20billion) paid to the commission by MTN Nigeria for the 700 MHZ spectrum. Investigations are currently ongoing, which suggests that the deal might not have been transparent and did not follow due process.
Spectrums are typically sold through an open auction system in order to efficiently allocate these scarce resources to interested parties and also secure revenue for the government in the process.
This was clearly not the case in the sale of the 700MHz by the NBC to MTN. Why then has this deal not been reversed so that due process can be followed?
The negative impacts of this deal to the telecoms industry cannot be over emphasised. Industry watchers agree that the deal will provide an already dominant operator in the voice market with resources to take over the data market also. “This is anti-competitive and unhealthy for a growing and vibrant industry”, Ekenwa added.
The nation’s nascent telecom industry can only thrive when operators compete for customers through innovative products and services.
Granting one operator access to scarce spectrum such as the 700MHz spectrum band disqualifies other operators from the race even before the kick-off. The NCC in recognition of this fact has historically assigned spectrum to telecommunications operators on a fair and equitable basis.
Clydestone Ghana Plc has filed a writ of summons and statement of claim against MTN Ghana, MTN Group Limited and Mobile Money Fintech Limited, alleging unauthorized use of its intellectual property.
The company announced the court action at the Ghana Stock Exchange, confirming proceedings in the Commercial Division of the High Court of Ghana.
The case relates to work commissioned in 2007 that Clydestone alleges was later used without authorisation or compensation.
Clydestone said the claim involves proprietary intellectual property, confidential commercial information and operational methodology developed during the engagement. The company is seeking declarations, damages and equitable remedies.
In a statement, Clydestone said MTN Ghana engaged it in 2007 to develop a commercial and operational framework for a mobile money business.
“The work was developed and delivered by the company’s founder and Group CEO, Paul Jacquaye, and included a full mobile money ecosystem covering the commercial model, operational architecture, implementation methodology and business case.”
Clydestone said the work was commissioned on the understanding that a non-disclosure agreement and memorandum of understanding would be signed.
It alleges these agreements were not finalised despite repeated requests.
The company further alleges MTN Ghana later used its proprietary work and methodology without authorisation or compensation, including in MTN Mobile Money Ghana and other markets.
Clydestone said the alleged use has continued since the launch of MTN Mobile Money Ghana in 2009.
“The wrongful use of that work has been ongoing since 2009. What has changed is the availability of independently verifiable information that documents its scale and commercial significance,” the company said.
It cited the GSMA State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2026 and MTN Ghana’s 2025 annual report as evidence of the platform’s scale.
According to Clydestone, the reports show approximately 19.3 million active users and annual revenue of about GHS 6.0 billion ($516m).
The company said it reviewed its records following these publications and concluded there were sufficient grounds to initiate legal proceedings.
It added that it has received no payment or acknowledgement for the work since December 2007, and that pre-action correspondence in 2026 received no substantive response.
“The Board of Directors has unanimously authorised the commencement of these proceedings,” the company said.
Jacquaye said: “This case is about accountability for commissioned intellectual property.
“When independent publications in 2025 and 2026 revealed the scale of the mobile money business, we reviewed all documentation relating to the original engagement and concluded these proceedings were necessary.”
MTN Group Limited, named as a defendant, had not commented at the time of publication.
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding digital inclusion through strategic partnerships aimed at equipping underserved communities with digital skills and access to technology.
Mr. Oladejo Olawunmi, Director, Digital Development Services representing the Director General of NITDA, and the Executive Director of Cal-Maji Foundation, alongside members of their respective delegations, pose for a group photograph following a strategic engagement on advancing digital literacy, capacity building, and digital inclusion for women, youth, and underserved communities.
Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, made the commitment during a courtesy visit by the Executive Director of Cal-Maji Foundation, Mrs Faith Ayuba, to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Represented by the Director of Digital Development Services, Mr Oluwunmi Oladejo, Inuwa said collaboration with community-based organisations remained central to NITDA’s vision of ensuring that no Nigerian was left behind in the country’s digital transformation journey.
He noted that feedback from beneficiary communities demonstrated the long-term impact of the agency’s interventions across the country.
“It is always gratifying to receive feedback from communities that have benefited from our interventions.
“Many of these projects were implemented years ago, and it is rewarding to know they are still creating opportunities,” he said.
The NITDA boss explained that the agency continued to monitor the performance of its intervention centres nationwide while leveraging emerging technologies to enhance digital learning and virtual capacity-building.
According to him, the National Digital Literacy Framework remains the foundation of NITDA’s efforts to equip children, students, artisans, farmers, professionals and other groups with digital competencies needed in a technology-driven economy.
Responding to requests for additional support, Inuwa disclosed that the agency would consider training community-based instructors to sustain digital literacy initiatives at the grassroots.
He encouraged the foundation to submit a formal request, accompanied by evidence of activities at its digital centre, to facilitate further intervention.
The director-general, however, acknowledged that maintaining internet connectivity across numerous intervention centres nationwide remained a major funding challenge.
He stressed the need for innovative financing models and stronger collaboration to ensure the sustainability of digital inclusion projects.
Earlier, Ayuba commended NITDA for its openness to partnerships and its commitment to supporting initiatives that deliver measurable impact in underserved communities.
She described the agency as one of the few government institutions that prioritised impactful programmes over personal connections.
According to her, the Cal-Maji Foundation focuses on improving access to education, strengthening food systems, enhancing food security and providing social protection for women and young people, particularly in remote communities.
Ayuba said NITDA’s Knowledge Access Centre, established at the foundation’s community school in a border community in Kogi State, had significantly transformed learning by providing students and residents with access to computers, internet services and digital education.
“The ICT centre became an equaliser.
“Young people who ordinarily would never have had access to computers or the internet suddenly had the opportunity to acquire digital knowledge.
“We came back simply to say thank you because this partnership has changed lives,” she said.
She disclosed that more than 1,000 children had benefited from the foundation’s educational programmes.
Ayuba also presented a former student who progressed from the community school to a Nigerian university after utilising the digital resources available at the centre.
She described the student’s achievement as evidence of the enduring impact of the collaboration.
The foundation’s executive director appealed for deeper collaboration through the training of community instructors, upgrading of computer systems and expanded access to NITDA’s digital capacity-building programmes.
She stressed that rural communities must not be left behind as Nigeria advances in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital innovation.
The meeting ended with both organisations reaffirming their commitment to strengthening collaboration to expand digital opportunities, promote inclusive technology adoption and support Nigeria’s digital economy agenda.
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has unveiled the National Software Quality Assurance (SQA) Framework to improve software quality, strengthen cybersecurity and enhance public confidence in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and government services.
The framework, approved by the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, under the provisions of the NITDA Act 2007, establishes national standards for the design, testing and deployment of software across Federal Government institutions, regulated industries and the broader digital ecosystem.
According to the agency, the initiative is aimed at reducing costly information technology failures, improving service delivery and ensuring that software powering critical national infrastructure meets globally accepted quality standards.
The framework comprises three regulatory instruments, namely the National Software Development Guideline, the National Software Testing Guideline and the Software Testing Organisations Licensing (STOL) Guideline.
NITDA explained that the National Software Development Guideline mandates structured software development processes, secure coding practices based on the Open Worldwide Application Security Project (OWASP), standardised system documentation and compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA for citizen-facing digital services.
The National Software Testing Guideline introduces mandatory testing benchmarks covering software functionality, cybersecurity, system performance under peak demand and interoperability before deployment.
Under the STOL Guideline, independent Licensed Software Testing Organisations (LSTOs) will be accredited and regulated to evaluate and certify software before it is deployed.
The agency stated that all Federal Government software projects would now be required to undergo independent third-party testing and obtain official certification before deployment.
It added that compliance with the framework would become a mandatory requirement for obtaining IT Project Clearance.
To strengthen risk management, the framework introduces a three-tier software classification model based on the criticality of systems.
Under the classification, Class A covers high-risk and critical national infrastructure such as core banking systems, national identity platforms and electricity grid control systems.
Class B applies to medium-risk enterprise platforms, while Class C covers lower-risk internal software applications.
NITDA said Class A systems would undergo more rigorous security assessments, including advanced penetration testing and specialised audits conducted by top-tier accredited software testing organisations.
The agency identified three major benefits of the framework.
It said the initiative would improve the reliability and security of digital public services, protect government investments from software failures and cyber threats, and enhance service delivery to citizens.
It also noted that regulating independent software testing would stimulate the growth of Nigeria’s software assurance industry, create employment opportunities for technology professionals and promote indigenous innovation.
According to NITDA, the framework will further strengthen international confidence in locally developed software, enabling Nigerian technology companies to compete more effectively in global markets and attract foreign investment.
Speaking on the development, Inuwa said quality remained fundamental to building trust in Nigeria’s digital economy.
“Quality is the foundation of digital trust.
“With this Framework, every software solution serving Nigerians, whether built for government or the private sector, will meet clear national standards for security, reliability and interoperability.
“This is how we modernise government technology and position Nigerian software to compete on the global stage,” he said.
The agency disclosed that the framework would take full effect in the second quarter of 2027.
It said the implementation period would include nationwide stakeholder engagement, capacity-building programmes and the accreditation of software testing organisations.
NITDA added that an Expression of Interest (EOI) would soon be issued to qualified organisations seeking licences to operate as independent software testing bodies under the new regulatory regime.
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