NCC Introduces investment-based spectrum framework to push telecom operators into underserved areas

Detailed summary

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is developing an Incentive-Based Spectrum Investment Framework (IBSIF) that will link spectrum-related incentives for…

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is developing an Incentive-Based Spectrum Investment Framework (IBSIF) that will link spectrum-related incentives for telecommunications operators to verifiable investments in network expansion, particularly in underserved communities, as the regulator seeks to close Nigeria’s broadband coverage gaps and improve service quality.

The initiative was announced on Thursday in Abuja and is designed to encourage operators to deploy additional infrastructure, expand network capacity and improve coverage in locations where access to reliable broadband remains inadequate, rather than measuring the value of spectrum resources solely through licensing revenues.

The move comes as Nigeria’s data consumption has more than tripled in just over three years, rising from approximately 517,670 terabytes (TB) in January 2023 to 1.73 million TB in September 2026, increasing pressure on existing telecommunications infrastructure.

Despite the expansion of fourth-generation (4G) networks to slightly above 80 percent population coverage, fifth-generation (5G) coverage remained at approximately 13 percent as of April 2026, highlighting the investment gap facing the country’s next phase of broadband development.

The NCC’s proposed framework seeks to address this challenge by making spectrum policy an instrument for attracting additional capital into telecommunications infrastructure, with incentives tied to measurable commitments on network deployment, geographical coverage, capacity and service quality.

Under the proposal, operators seeking to benefit from spectrum-related incentives would be assessed against defined investment obligations, with independent technical and financial verification used to establish whether agreed commitments have been fulfilled.

The Commission also plans to use objective network performance measurements, including crowdsourced quality-of-experience data, to determine whether investments translate into actual improvements…

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