Mafab Communications is seeking to transfer its key spectrum holdings to MTN Nigeria in a transaction that could end its run as one of Nigeria’s 5G operators and signal a wider reshuffling of the country’s scarce telecom spectrum.
The proposed transaction covers Mafab’s 2×20 MHz holding in the 2.1 GHz band and its 100 MHz block in the 3.5 GHz band, according to people familiar with the matter. The transaction is still undergoing regulatory approval, one person said.
If approved, the transfer would mark a significant reversal for Mafab, which paid $273.6 million in 2021 to secure a 100 MHz block in Nigeria’s first 5G spectrum auction and become one of the country’s two initial 5G operators.
But the transaction is also part of a broader effort by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that valuable spectrum is being used efficiently rather than sitting underutilised, according to people familiar with the matter.
Originally published by TechCabal.