FG Decries Revenue Loss, Launches Campaign against Illegal Non-commercial Radio Spectrum
TECHDIGEST – Federal government has expressed concern over the huge revenue loss from non-commercial radio spectrum as a result of non-renewal of spectrum licence fees by the authorised users.
As such, it has begun a campaign to address the illegal use of the non-commercial radio frequency spectrum across the country.
Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy led by Prof. Ibrahim Pantami, minister of Communications and Digital Economy, disclosed this during a two-day public awareness programme on effective approaches to radio spectrum monitoring in Lagos.
Represented by Prof. Sahalu Junaidu, his chief research Adviser, the minister advised members of the public, especially vendors and service providers of the non-commercial radio spectrum, to comply with the regulations of applying and obtaining a valid licence to operate the spectrum.
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“The federal government currently has five active spectrum monitoring centres in North-east, North-west, North-central, South-west and South-south, and has approved additional monitoring centre in South-east, to be located in Awka, Anambra State,” Pantami said.
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Also speaking, Kityobas Binga, director, Radio Monitoring and Survey at the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, said that “The federal government is losing several millions of naira to illegal use of non-commercial radio spectrum and to non-renewal of spectrum licence fees by the authorised users.”
Shola Taylor, CEO of Tetconsult, UK and Nigeria, and the former Sec-Gen of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), advised users of the non-commercial radio frequency spectrum to obtain the necessary licence that would enable them to operate transparently, noting that the radio frequency spectrum is a scares resource.
He listed users of the non-commercial radio spectrum to include security services providers like Army, Police, Navy, Air force, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), as well as emergency services and maritime service providers.
