FG commissions $9m national spectrum management system

The federal government has commissioned the first-ever mobile radio frequency monitory equipment, national spectrum management system, Denial of Service (DOS) equipment and a national control centre in Abuja.

Minister of Communications, Dr. Adebayo Shittu who commissioned the devices at the Shehu Musa Yar’dua’s Centre, described the development as historic and necessary, looking at the fact that the ministry is the secretariat of the National Frequency Management Council (NFMC).

“With these facilities in place, the ministry now has the capacity to detect, identify and locate the sources of transmissions and is, therefore, able to determine if a frequency user is duly licensed or not.

“In addition, the use of the state-of-the-art equipment would enable the ministry to ensure that duly licensed users of radio frequency spectrum operate in compliance with technical specifications.

He appealed to operators of unauthorized frequency spectrum to formalize their operational status to avoid sanctions.

He disclosed that Ministry of Communications had in March 2017 secured the Federal Executive council’s (FEC) approval to award a contract for the project to Messrs.’ TCI International Inc., USA at the cost of Nine Million, Eighty-Five Thousand, Forty-Three US Dollars, Ninety-Three Cents ($ 9, 085, 043. 93) for the supply, installation, and commissioning of the sophisticated world class monitoring devices.

The devices include five state-of-the-art mobile radio monitoring equipment, a national spectrum management system, two Denial of Service (DoS) equipments and the establishment of a national control centre.

He noted that: “Radio frequency spectrum is a very important and scarce resource that supports and drives the multi-billion dollar wireless telecommunications and ICT industry globally, hence, must be managed well for its efficient, judicious and equitable use by various radio communication services to drive the socio-economic development of our country.”

The minister explained that each of the five monitoring vehicles would now be deployed to each of the monitoring centers in Gusau, Zamfara state to cover the north western states, Ipaja, Lagos to cover the south western states and Ogoja, Cross River state to cover states in the south-south while each of the two Denial of Service equipment would be deployed to Abuja and Lagos to serve the north central and southern states respectively.

He therefore urge ministries, departments, agencies, private individuals and organizations that use the frequency spectrum to first obtain authorization from the ministry of communications before procuring and operating any radio communications equipment.

He added that the ministry has incorporated other components which are aimed at guarantying the durability of the equipment having trained 29 engineers, technologists, and other professionals to effectively man the facilities.

The manufacturers have given six year warrantee for the equipments as the company takes care of maintenance and management of the facilities during this period.

Earlier, the Chief of Defence staff, General Abayomi Olonishakin, w represented by Maj. Gen. JA Orokpo, described the project as a noble idea that has the capacity to play a great role with the Nigerian armed forces in dealing with the terror activities of Boko Haram in the north eastern Nigeria.

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