The resolution of Senate urging the federal government to delay its plans to rollout 5G network technology in Nigeria was not based on sound reasoning. It was not based on the consideration of global trends in technology development and adoption.
It also did not take into consideration the preponderance of 5G deployments across the global that has become the norm and not the exception.
The Senate should also have taken into consideration that the deployment of 5G, as the case in other countries, follows a gradual process, starting from cities and areas that are ripe for such technology and gradually building the 5G network over legacy networks over a period of time. That was the case with 4G, and even 3G.
It is good that the Senate was able to come to the conclusion that 5G was not the cause of Covid-19, and there was therefore no connection between the two of them. It is also good that they were able to confirm, contrary to what they were led to believe, though they were aware, that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had not granted any operator license to deploy 5G in Nigeria.
The point is also that there was no reason, for the committee to waste time and resources to go into investigating whether 5G caused Covid-19 or not, because the facts were obvious to them. There was no reason too, why the Senators, led by their committee chairlady, Mrs Tinubu, went to ascertain whether the NCC had issued licesnes to any telecom company or any company had begun deployment of 5G, because the facts of the reality was before them.
According to several reports, the Senate on Wednesday, urged the Federal Government to delay its planned rollout of 5G network technology in Nigeria. This followed the adoption of the report of its Joint Committee on Science and Technology, ICT, Cyber Crime, and Primary Health at Wednesday’s plenary.
Presenting the report, Chairperson of the Committee, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu,is reported to have said that her committee’s investigation revealed that there was no connection between COVID-19 and 5G network technologies.
“Concerning the interaction between COVID-19 and 5G network technologies, the joint committee confirms and is convinced that there is no connection between them.
“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is caused by biological agent-virus- which is scientifically unconnected with the 5G technology. “While the joint committee clarifies that there is no 5G deployment in Nigeria at the moment and that no license has been issued to any Mobile Number Operator on commercial basis, it is our recommendation that Nigeria should still observe the trend of 5G deployments around the globe and engage in extensive sensitisation of the public through all channels before commencement of commercial deployments in the country,” Tinubu said.
Some groups had earlier linked COVID-19 to 5G technology, prompting the Senate to embark on thorough investigation that took the committee one year to conclude.
Now that the Tinubu committee has found out that there was no connection between 5G and Covid-19 and that there are no health challenges in the deployment of 5G technology, the Senate should have endorsed the efforts the federal government through the NCC has taken to roll out the 5G technology.
A lot of work has been done by the NCC and stake-holders in observing the trend of 5G deployment across the globe.
Look at the global statistics in 5G deployments and developments, as at October 2020. According to the Global Mobile Network Suppliers Association (GSA) there are 24 operators in 18 African countries that “are evaluating/testing/trialing/deploying 5G, and of those operators eight “have deployed 5G into pre-commercial or commercial networks.”
As of the end of January 2021, the GSA recorded 144 commercial 5G networks present worldwide with more to come.
Around 413 operators in 131 countries or territories are also investing in 5G networks in the form of tests, trials, pilots, and planned and actual deployments.
5G is hitting the mainstream fast: According to the GSA report, 38 countries had 5G networks as of August and many more have had 5G mobile technology deployed in part. It is in fact expected that 5G will reach 1 billion users in 3.5 years, compared with 4 years for 4G and 12 years for 3G.
North America, Europe and East Asia are on the forefront of 5G implementation, as our map shows. Investments in the technology are being made in almost every country in South and South-East Asia as well as South America as well.
South Korea is the country which deployed the first 5G network and the country is expected to stay in the lead as far as penetration of the technology goes. By 2025, almost 60 percent of mobile subscriptions in South Korea are expected to be for 5G networks.
