Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami has said that the growing number of unlicensed non-commercial radio spectrum users in Nigeria constitute a major threat not only to national security but also the nation’s economy. He however vowed that the Federal Government through the ministry was leaving no stone unturned in curtailing this menace.

Delivering a keynote address at the day two of a public awareness programme on: “Effective Approaches to Radio Spectrum Monitoring”, which held in Lagos Tuesday, noted that unless urgent steps were taken to address the menace of these unlicensed radio spectrum users, Nigeria would continue to lose huge revenue in addition to constituting a major threat to national security. The day one of the event, which held Monday featured a road show at the Alaba International Market, also in Lagos.

Represented by his Special Adviser on Research, Prof Sahalu Junaidu, the minister regretted that efforts by the ministry to persuade these unlicensed users to regularise their usage of the radio frequencies, especially through public awareness programmes such as this, have not yielded the expected results, a development that has necessitated the adoption of a new approaches.

He also disclosed that the Federal Government through the ministry is acquiring new technologies and equipment to monitor radio spectrum usage across the country and that some strategic steps are being taken to address the problem, which include but not limited to the denial of service, which is also described as ‘jaming’ the radio frequencies in local parlance.

“As part of efforts to facilitate seamless communication among the non-commercial users, we have acquired various communication equipment across the country. Recall that the Federal Executive Council FEC in 2020 approved the contract for the installation of the 6th monitoring equipment for the South East zone, which is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2022.

“Currently, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy is looking at innovative ways of monitoring spectrum frequency through the use of remote censors to be mounted in public places and strategic locations across the country to enhance cost-effective monitoring.

“But report reaching my office indicate that there are reported cases of irregular use of spectrum radio by non-commercial users while some have deliberately refused to obtain licenses”, the minister further lamented.

He however assured that the enforcement team of the ministry has been reinforced to reach all areas and premises using these spectrum radios, warning that it would no longer be business as usual. He however enjoined all non-commercial radio frequency users to regularise their operations and also meet their financial obligations to the government to avoid being on the other side of the law.

While commending the Monitoring Department of the ministry for putting the enlightenment programme together, especially the road- show at the Alaba International Market, Lagos, which houses several vendors of these radio communication equipment, noted that the road show has brought the campaign to the grassroots.

Meanwhile, Director of the ministry in charge of Monitoring, Engr. K.N. Binga, who delivered the lead paper entitled: “Monitoring of Radio Frequency Spectrum for non-commercial users”, noted that the spectrum frequency is a scarce national resource and thus the need to ensure judicious and effective use.

According to him, in addition to ensuring judicious and effective use, monitoring helps in planning, help resolve interference, identifying and revealing illegal users as well as determine the level of use.

While admitting that the government loses several billions of naira annually to these incidences of unlicensed users among non-commercial radio frequency, he noted that the department was improving on its monitoring drive, citing the approval by FEC for the building of the 6th Monitoring Centre in Awka, the Anambra State capital for the South Eastern region.

Available statistics show that there are more than 100 unlicensed non-commercial radio frequency users, which experts have described as unhealthy, as they constitute a major threat not only to national security but also the nation’s economy at large.