*The Nigerian Communications Commission says the agreement will help in effective coordination and sharing of frequencies and channels in the ‘buffer zone or area’ on borderlines between the two countries

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In order to ensure seamless deployment of services within the two African countries, Nigeria and Republic of Niger have signed a bilateral agreement for the coordination of frequency utilisation along their national borders in Abuja, FCT.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Sunday, February 5, 2023, disclosed the agreement signing ceremony was one of the highlights of the two-day Digital Economy Regional Conference, hosted by the Nigerian Government, facilitated by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, and held at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja.

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Mr. Reuben Muoka, Director of Public Affairs at NCC, noted Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, signed on behalf of Nigeria, while his Nigerien counterpart, Mr. Moussa Baraze,  Minister for Post and New Information Technologies, signed on behalf of his country.

Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister for Communications and Digital Economy

Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, and Mrs. Aichatou Oumani, Niger Republic’s Chairperson of the National Council for Regulation of Electronic Communications and Post, witnessed the signing of the agreement.

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The telecoms sector regulatory Commission said the agreement actually applies to the coordination of frequencies existing in the Nigeria-Niger transboundary areas between 87.5 megahertz (MHz) and 30 gigahertz (GHz).

The NCC stated: “The agreement indicated it would help in effective coordination and sharing of frequencies and channels in the ‘buffer zone or area’ on borderlines between the two countries.”

The Commission salo noted the agreement was designed to help in addressing one of the major issues of signal interference regulation that may arise in telecoms signal transmissions by terrestrial telecoms service providers, as it spells out the procedures for regulating such cases.

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The agreement, according to the two parties, provides, in part, that in case of harmful interference affecting one of the parties, the affected party shall inform the other party in writing for necessary action to be carried out, stated the NCC.

The agreement stated: “Also, the party from whence the interference is originating shall ensure that all necessary means are used to resolve the harmful interference within 30 days of receipt of the notice.”

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The Agreement is without prejudice to the rights and obligations of the parties specified in the Convention, the Constitution of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and other inter-governmental arrangements.

It, however, stated that the land and mobile services which use is restricted for security, maritime, and national defence or for which information is not available, shall not be subjected to the provisions of the agreement.