Engineers in the field of electronics have thrown their weight behind the need for Nigeria to deploy 5G technology. This comes after the country’s communication commission announced that, despite news on social media, it had not given out any licenses for network operators to begin to deploy 5G technologies.
These engineers, under the umbrella of the Nigerian Institute of Electric and Electronic Engineers (NIEEE), say that despite false claims that have impacted the deployment of the technology globally, the development potential for the country is massive.
Keeping with this, the body says that Nigeria should not be left out of the opportunities that come with 5G technology. Speaking at a Zoom meeting on the topic “Expert Insights on 5G Concerns,” the national chairman of the NIEEE, Kings Adeyemi notes that the technology has and will continue to enable many opportunities once deployed in earnest.
He explains that every new generation of mobile network has its excitement and scepticisms, and with this, he says “…that coronavirus [is] not transmitted by Base Transceiver Station (BTS). 5G signals are not bio-agents, and that EMF for 5G network cannot transmit viruses. Lots of misinformation [is] out there that must be corrected if we are to move forward as a country.”
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Backing his claims, Adeyemi, an engineer in his own right, says that NIEEE stands with the side of science to say that there is no harm in deploying 5G. He notes that, despite controversies surrounding its deployment, some countries around the globe have already started research into 6G.
According to the chairman, there is a need for a roadmap for the development and deployment of 5G in Nigeria, stressing that 2025 will be a major landmark for the technology globally: “As such countries, which failed to prepare for this generation of technology may not be compatible with developments from other countries of the world.”
He continues to warn that Nigeria will find it difficult to meet up with 6G technology when there are, what The Guardian Nigeria calls, “gang-ups and conspiracies against 5G.”
The NIEEE chairman says that the country’s National Assembly, the Senate to be precise, which urged the Federal Government to suspend 5G deployment in the country, needed knowledge and awareness to understand the potential of the technology.
“This meeting has become imperative to hold in view of what is going on in the country, especially the call by the Senate on the Federal Government to suspend 5G deployment. It has become obvious that the NASS is in need of knowledge and sensitization on the technology,” Adeyemi stresses.
Though 5G is yet to be deployed in Nigeria, “that doesn’t mean we should not plan ahead. I think no matter what, there should be a roadmap now. 2025 is going to be a major landmark for 5G development across the globe.”
Nigeria has not yet completed 4G saturation, and even 3G is not yet 100% deployed throughout the country. The chairman says that he is sure there will be no 5G for a good while. He continues to say, however, that this is even more dangerous as the country risks being left behind technologically.
5G uses cloud network technologies, boosted by IPv6 during development. The NIEEE chairman says that the criteria for its deployment include that there should be enhanced mobile broadband; ultra-reliable and low latency communication; massive machine-type communication, among others. He said improved service speed brings mobile Internet to the masses.
Edited by Luis Monzon
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