Isa Pantami, Nigeria’s minister of communications and digital economy, has indicated that the implementation of a 5G network will help to address the country’s security issues.
This was mentioned by the minister at the Nigerian Communications Commission’s 3.5 GHz spectrum auction held in Abuja on Monday.
Pantami stated during the auction that 5G has no negative effects, as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) have affirmed.
He went on to say that 5G would solve some of the country’s security issues because it delivers real-time services and platforms.
“We feel that if 5G is utilized effectively by our security institutions, it will go a long way in addressing many security challenges we have in Nigeria. Firstly, there are many benefits of 5G over 4G, 3G, and even 2G, particularly the mutual authentification of its network and because its network is encrypted,” he said.
“So this will provide an avenue for our security institutions to leverage on the technology and deploy many emerging technologies in the country to handle security challenges we are being confronted with.
“Today, if you want to address things like insecurity, you’ll need things like robotics, artificial intelligence, data analytics. All these emerging technologies cannot be deployed effectively without 5G because 5G gives you real time communication. With this real time communication, all these gadgets can be deployed and utilised effectively to handle security challenges and this is the approach globally.
“At the top of our agenda to support 5G deployment is to support our security institutions to provide a network so that they will leverage on and address the security challenges head-on.”
The three telcos were announced as approved bidders for license spots in the 3.5 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum auction for the deployment of the 5G network by the NCC on December 2.
Qualified bidders include MTN Nigeria, Mafab Communications Ltd, and Airtel Networks Ltd. After the auction, two of them will be declared winners.
