Suspend plans to deploy 5G network in Nigeria – Senate tells FG
The Senate on Wednesday, May 19, urged the federal government to withhold the deployment of 5th generation (5G) network in Nigeria till further notice.
The red chamber has equally directed the Nigerian Communications Commission, and the Mobile Network Operators to suspend the exercise, for now, to enable them to study the trend of 5G deployment across the world.
This followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the joint Senate Committee on Communications, Science and Technology, ICT, Cyber Crime and Primary Healthcare and Communicable Diseases on the “Status of 5G network in Nigeria and its impact on Nigerian citizens.”
The committee recommended that Nigeria should still observe the trend of 5G deployment around the globe and engage in extensive sensitization of the public through all channels before the commencement of commercial deployments in the country.
The chairman of the joint committee, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, while presenting the report, said the overwhelming aggregate opinions from majority of stakeholders was that it is appropriate for Nigeria to join the comity of nations that are engaged in the deployments of 5G for all its inherent gains.
She said the joint panel was convinced that having witnessed what has been achieved by its ‘lesser ancestors’ such as 3G and 4G, the technological impact of 5G will be such that will revolutionize Nigerians’ way of life from education to agriculture, security to entertainment, and governance in general if the technology is deployed.
The committee urged the relevant government agencies to prepare the ground by putting the necessary infrastructure and technology in place for its eventual deployment.
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