Introduction of mobile telephony and subsequent liberalization of the telecommunications market in Nigeria have brought about a proliferation of new radio antenna sites. The country’s high population density has necessitated locating practically all types of antenna stations within densely built and highly populated environments. Lack of public information and rapidity of deployment of these sites contributed to the concern among the conscious public that the perceived increase in exposure to RF electromagnetic fields could be harmful to human health. This paper is a discourse on our preliminary investigation on determining the RF field intensities emanating from local GSM base stations in Nigeria, using those within the main campus of the University of Ibadan as a case study. Our initial results somehow give credence to this concern and required wide spread investigations. Admittedly this is a pioneer preliminary survey on a small scale intended to ascertain at least that occupational ICNIRP reference levels for exposure are not exceeded. Results of this measurement lead to some conscious inferences on need for statutory safety regulations for deployed equipment.
