MTN and Mafab Communications have won Nigeria’s 5G spectrum auction: “The commission fixed the base price at $197.4 million. The two winners got the nod of the regulator at $273 million”. That means Airtel, Glo and others are going to return to the drawing board as this asset class could redesign the sector many years from now..
Yes, I am not moved by 5G in Nigeria to be that significant in the immediate near future. The fact remains that many would be fine with 3G or 4G if they are available and reliable. So, forget the nomenclature and demand for quality service irrespective of the technology generation. If 3G is reliable, many would be fine in Nigeria.
Yet, congrats to MTN and Mafab – they are possibly going to make it possible for civil servants to be paid this December. Please send the alerts fast once you get the invoices; Nigeria needs money.
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To NCC, well done. You remain the best agency or government unit in that nation.
MTN and Mafab Communications Limited have won the bid for the 5G spectrum auctioned by the Nigerian government Monday.
The Nigerian Communications Commission conducted the auction at the Transcorp Hotel in Abuja for the available two slots for the 3.5 GHz spectrum.
MTN Nigeria, Mafab Communications Ltd, and Airtel Networks Ltd participated in the bid using the Ascending Clock Auction System.
Nigeria needs money and there are many ideas which are evolving in the nation especially on VAT: “The Finance Bill is proposing an amendment to section 10 of the VAT, by introducing a new section 10, putting the burden of VAT on non-resident digital companies rather than non-resident individuals.”
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, has said the proposed amendment to the Finance Act will ensure that Amazon and other digital companies become Value Added Tax collectors for the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
Ms Ahmed said the bill, which emanated from the executive arm of government, if passed by the lawmakers and assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari, will reduce ambiguity and restrict VAT obligations to digital non-resident companies.
The minister spoke in Abuja on Monday at the public hearing into the bill.
The hearing was organised by the House of Representatives Committee Finance.
Mr Buhari had transmitted the bill to the two chambers of the National Assembly last week Tuesday.
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Who are the folks behind this Mafab? The DISCOs selection experience showed us what happens when you conjure names for the purpose of winning a bid. Where have they been operating and what financial and technical capabilities do they possess?
$197 million may sound cool to a country desperately in need of money, but it’s only real companies that can run viable businesses.
Both Glo and Airtel couldn’t pull it off, but one Mafab did, hopefully it’s not another conglomeration of politicians fronting as entrepreneurs and merchants.
Whether 5G is needed or not is a discussion for another day, for now we are watching…
Our creativity when it comes to tax collection continues, it never ends.