By Kingsley I. Ilechukwu, Correspondent Lagos

The Executive Director, Operations at DigitalSENSE Africa, Mrs. Nkem Nweke, has applauded the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Nigeria Communications Satellite (NigComSAt), saying it paves the way for digital cooperation, especially on frequency spectrum management for the forthcoming fifth generation networks (5G).

DigitalSENSE Africa is a project of ITREALMS Media group, and accredited as an At-Large Structure (ALS) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

Welcoming participants at the 12th edition of the Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum series on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) with the theme: Digital Cooperation: Enhancing Multistakeholder Governance for Digital Economy, held at the Golden Tulip Essential Hotel, Lagos, Mrs. Nweke noted that the theme was specifically chosen to focus attention on the role of Internet Governance in driving digital cooperation to boost governance in a digital economy.

She pointed out that such a synergy was evidenced recently in Nigeria when the telecom regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Nigeria Communications Satellite (NigComSat) entered a deal with the signing of an MoU as part of digital cooperation in anticipation for the Fifth Generation (5G) network in the country.

She quoted the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer(EVC/CEO), at NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta,  at the ceremony, as saying that the MoU would facilitate the release of contiguous bandwidth in one of the most suitable Frequency Spectrum band(s) for early deployment of Fifth Generation Network (5G) services.

Recall that the Frequency Spectrum bands allocated to 5G by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) includes the C-band (3.4GHz – 3.9GHz) which stands out because its balancing point between coverage and capacity provides the perfect environment for 5G connectivity.

Mrs. Nweke  said the understanding between the two agencies was worthy of celebration for what most industry stakeholders tagged ‘5G Marriage.’

Also, she noted that recently, DigitalSENSE Africa, in continuation of its advocacy engagement joined forces in expressing support on “open, interconnected and interoperable Internet by appending our signature to this call.”

She emphasised that the open, interconnected and interoperable Internet was increasingly under threat, and stressed that technical, legislative and policy developments had furthered the risk that had seen  the Internet fragments into siloed parts.

These developments, Mrs Nweke noted, included bans or restrictions on international data flows; techno-protectionist initiatives, interference with free expression, privacy, and/or encryption; and Internet shutdowns – among other hazards.

She maintained that “these developments may pose a threat to the open, interconnected and interoperable Internet, along with its associated benefits to social and economic development, while also harming human rights,”and expressed excitement that this achievement and MoU came at a time when a female Managing Director of NigComSAt, Dr. Abimbola Alale, was in office.

NDSF2021 was chaired by Dr. Olusoji Okunoye of University of Lagos (UNILAG) who stood in for the President, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Prof. Adesina Sodiya and also featured other speakers including Dr. Alale who was represented by the Acting Manager, Marketing, Mrs Ibiye Ukoko, President, Institute of Software Practitioners (ISPON),  Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu,  Aderemi Adejumo of CloudFlex, Mohammed Rudman represented by Jacob Dagunduro,  Francis Uzor of Wisdom Computer Technologies, and Nnenna Nwakanma, Chief Web Advocate of World Wide Web Foundation, to name a few.