At the conclusion of the World
Radiocommunications Conference (WRC) 2023, Nigeria joined the rest of the world
to sign unto the Final Act WRC-23, which constitutes a record of the decisions
taken at the conference.
The Final Act comprises both
the new and revised provisions of the Radio Regulations, an international
treaty governing the use of the radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits.
The Minister of
Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, represented
Nigeria and was joined by the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications
Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida and the Managing Director, Nigerian
Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat Ltd), Mrs. Jane Egerton-Idehen.
The WRC-2023 is a global,
inter-governmental treaty conference which is held every three to four years by
the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations (UN)-affiliated
international organization for telecommunications.
At the end of each conference,
countries signed unto an updated Final Act, the outcome of agreements on
agendas put forward by country administrations.
“The agreement to the updated Radio
Regulations identifies new spectrum resources to support technological
innovation, deepen global connectivity, increase access to and equitable use of
space-based radio resources, and enhance safety at sea, in the air, and on
land,” ITU said.
Among the decisions reached,
the conference also identified spectrum for International Mobile
Telecommunications (IMT), which will be crucial for expanding broadband
connectivity and developing IMT mobile services, also known as 4G, 5G and, in
the future, 6G.
The conference also identified
new frequencies for non-geostationary fixed-satellite service Earth Stations in
Motion (ESIMs) that would provide high-speed broadband onboard aircraft,
vessels, trains, and vehicles. These satellite services are also critical
following disasters where local communication infrastructure is damaged or
destroyed.
Provisions were also included
to protect ship and aircraft mobile service stations located in international
airspace and waters from other stations within national territories.
Nigeria’s delegation at the
conference comprised seasoned engineers and experts in telecommunications and
satellite regulations and governance from the Ministry, NCC, National
Broadcasting Commission (NBC), NigComSat Ltd, National Space Research and Development
Agency (NASRDA), Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), telecom operators
and other practitioners from the telecommunications industry in Nigeria.
Dr Tijani thanked the
delegation for their sacrifices which, he noted, were made for the collective
benefit of the future of Nigeria.
He also enjoined the Nigerian
delegation to commence preparation for future conferences to ensure the
preservation of the country’s interest by developing capacity through
investments in extensive research and inter-agency collaboration.
Also, during an engagement
with the delegation, Maida commended the delegation for collaborating towards
Nigeria’s best interest. He emphasised the conference's significant importance
for Nigeria.
He said: “The agreements
reached at this year’s conference will provide valuable spectrum resources that
will benefit the Commission's stakeholders, especially ordinary Nigerians by
enhancing service quality and bridging the digital gap in rural areas.
“Additionally, the establishment of
international standards for radiocommunications and the decisions made at the
conference will impact the development and implementation of new technologies.
“These outcomes align with Nigeria's overall
objectives and the Minister’s Strategic Plan for the Ministry particularly on
expanding broadband connectivity, in harmony with the global transition to 5G
and future 6G technologies, as well as improving quality of experience and
providing equitable access to all Nigerians.”
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