The Nigerian senate suspends 5G deployment
The Nigerian senate has suspended 5G deployment due to health concerns, but could there be more to the story?
The Nigerian Senate has petitioned the Federal Government to halt its plans to deploy 5G throughout the country pending the conclusion of a six-month investigation into potential health risks associated with the latest mobile network technology.
According to the Senate, the decision was made in response to the report of its Joint Committee on Science and Technology, Information and Communications Technology, Cybercrime, and Primary Health, which is chaired by Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Rollout plans appeared to have gained momentum following the announcement by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) regarding the use of C-Band spectrum for 5G services in the country.
The C-Band spectrum is responsible for between 60% and 70% of commercial 5G network deployments worldwide.
Having said that, lawmakers' purported health and security concerns appear to obscure the true reasons for the prolonged delay in 5G deployment.
5G does not pose any health risks
While the Senate has admitted that there is no evidence linking 5G to COVID-19, it maintains that it wishes to “conduct a scientific experimental study over a period of approximately six months to ascertain if there is a correlation between 5G networks and public health.”
As a result, one may wonder why the government appears hesitant to roll out 5G networks in the country. Numerous studies have established that 5G poses no health risks to users.
According to medical experts, 5G radio waves are non-ionizing, meaning they lack the energy required to break up DNA and cause cancerous cellular damage. Indeed, no confirmed reports of associated health risks have been made in any of the countries where 5G has already been deployed.
Inevitably, lawmakers' insistence on identifying possible 5G-related health risks will prove fruitless.
All mobile networks are prone to cyber attacks
Concerning security concerns raised earlier this year by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), a study conducted by the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) concludes that 5G networks do not contain security flaws but are not "unhackable."
As with 3G and 4G, users must exercise caution when using their mobile devices.
As with previous generations of networks, 5G networks are hackable. If the government proceeded with 4G deployment despite security concerns, there is no plausible reason to delay 5G deployment.
5G is already live in South Africa and Kenya
In Africa, South Africa and Kenya have successfully deployed 5G networks, with no reported issues. In South Africa, MTN and Vodacom have been operating 5G networks since mid-2020, while Safaricom launched Africa's third 5G network this year.
Perhaps these countries are more motivated than Nigeria to expand their 3G and 4G coverage. 4G penetration is 92.8 percent in South Africa and 77 percent in Kenya, respectively.
In comparison, Nigeria's 4G network covers only 37% of the population. As a result, there may be an argument for expanding 4G access before deploying 5G.
Alternatively, lawmakers may recognize that existing telecom sector challenges such as right-of-way disputes and a broadband infrastructure shortage will significantly disrupt its 5G rollout plans at this time, essentially guaranteeing its failure.
However, one thing is certain: If the government truly desires 5G deployment, it will occur.
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