MAPUTO, Mozambique — The Mozambican government has abruptly canceled a planned auction for fifth-generation (5G) mobile network frequencies, announcing that it will instead allocate the valuable spectrum to operators through an administrative consignment model.
The pivot is part of a mandate that will make 5G coverage compulsory in all of the country’s provincial capitals, aiming to accelerate digital connectivity nationwide.
The government spokesperson, Inocêncio Impissa, confirmed the decision on Tuesday following a weekly cabinet meeting in Maputo. He explained that the move was necessitated by a fundamental shift in the country’s technology sector.
“This decision is based on the change in the economic order of the national telecommunications market, which has compromised the effectiveness of the auction-based spectrum consignment model for the implementation of 5G,” Mr. Impissa said.
The new approach reverses the commitment set forth in Resolution 16/2024, dated April 19, which had authorized the auction of rights across key frequency bands, including the 700 MHz, 2.6 GHz, 3.5 GHz, and 26 GHz ranges.
The administrative method, the government asserts, will serve as a “strategic measure to accelerate the availability of 5G technology in Mozambique, guarantee digital inclusion and efficient use of the spectrum.” Crucially, it will come with strict coverage obligations for operators, ensuring not only 5G presence in all provincial capitals but also 4G service throughout the rest of the country.
Mr. Impissa stressed that the government plans to “guarantee strict supervision of the terms of the consignments,” adding that the new policy provides for “penalties and the possibility of revocation in cases of non-compliance.”
New Rules to Curb Digital Crime
In a related move signaling a heightened focus on digital security, the cabinet also approved a decree establishing new telecommunications traffic control regulations. This regulation repeals a previous decree from June 2023 and introduces new “mechanisms and procedures for controlling traffic” across licensed telecommunications networks.
The justification for the amendment, Mr. Impissa noted, is driven by the growing integration of communications into public services—including state and financial transactions—which has led to a corresponding spike in digital threats.
“The amendment is justified by the growing use of communications for digital public services…resulting in a significant increase in fraud and crimes based on telecommunications areas,” he said.
The new measures are also designed to combat “an increase in cyber attacks and economic crimes against digital infrastructures and digital services,” as well as “the emergence of new forms of crime against citizens and the state, using social networks and artificial intelligence tools.”
The spokesperson concluded that the regulatory overhaul will “create the conditions to guarantee greater security in the services provided through telecommunications networks and to protect public security and the public interest and the State, as well as duly licensed telecommunications operators.”
