NCC refutes allegation, says MAFAB launched 5G to targeted markets - ITREALMS

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has refuted media reports that one of its licensees for the Fifth Generation (5G) networks, Mafab Communications has not launched services, reports ITREALMS.

NCC, through the office of the Director Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, said that the attention of NCC has been drawn to some misleading comments on social media which falsely claimed that “MAFAB Communications, one of the companies granted Fifth Generation (5G) licences by the Commission is yet to roll out the service, nearly two years after obtaining a licence, and one year after the roll-out date.”

ITREALMS recalled that MAFAB Communications was one of the two successful companies that won a 5G Licence during the globally-acclaimed transparent 5G Auction conducted by the Commission on December 13, 2021.

Muoka said that upon fulfilling the condition of payment for the fee of $273.6 million in February 2022, the company formally received the licence on February 22, 2022.

"Consequent upon the issuance of the 5G licence, and in line with the rollout conditions, MAFAB publicly launched its services in Abuja on January 24, 2023, and in Lagos on January 26, 2023. At launch, the services were targeted at six cities - Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and Kaduna," he said.

According to him, NCC has continued to monitor the progress of rollout by MAFAB and has been regularly briefed about the status of infrastructure deployment for service offerings as conditioned in its operating licence.

NCC, therefore urged the public and all stakeholders should ignore the false and misleading information concerning the 5G rollout by MAFAB.