Nigeria’s adoption of Fifth Generation (5G) technology continues to grow steadily, with about 6.38 million subscribers now connected to the network, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
As of November, NCC data shows that Nigeria has about 177.4 million active telecom subscribers across all networks, with 5G users accounting for 3.6 per cent of the total.
The country is now in its third year of commercial 5G operations, having attracted close to $1 billion in spectrum licensing fees and significant investments by major operators, particularly MTN and Airtel, in infrastructure and network expansion.
Despite this progress, 5G coverage remains limited compared to older technologies. MTN’s 5G service is currently available in states including Lagos, Abuja, Rivers, Oyo, Kano, Ogun, Delta, Enugu and Edo, while Airtel’s 5G network operates in Lagos, Abuja, Rivers, Ogun and Osun. Even in these locations, access is largely restricted to major cities, leaving rural and semi-urban areas dependent on 4G, 3G and 2G networks.
Industry data shows that 4G remains Nigeria’s dominant network, serving about 92.2 million users, or nearly 52 per cent of subscribers. This is followed by 2G with about 67.9 million users, while 3G serves roughly 10.8 million subscribers.
The NCC notes that many Nigerians use multiple SIM cards, meaning individuals may be connected to more than one network type at the same time.
Alongside the gradual rollout of 5G, Nigeria is witnessing a sharp rise in data consumption. National mobile data usage has hit record levels, driven by increased demand for video streaming, digital payments, cloud services and other online applications.
Monthly data usage recently peaked at about 1.24 million terabytes, and total annual consumption is projected to exceed 13 million terabytes by year-end, representing growth of around 35 per cent.
While 4G remains the backbone of internet connectivity nationwide, 5G is increasingly handling high-capacity traffic in major cities due to its faster speeds and lower latency.
However, a report by the NCC in collaboration with global network analytics firm Ookla highlights a significant gap between the number of 5G-capable devices and actual network access.
In Lagos, over 70 per cent of 5G-ready devices are unable to connect to a 5G network, while in Abuja, the figure stands at about 66 per cent.
The report also notes that high user density in cities such as Lagos and Abuja continues to strain network capacity, leading to slower speeds, buffering during video streaming and failed digital transactions. While MTN was rated strongly for overall network performance, Airtel showed competitive 4G speeds but faces challenges as it transitions more users to 5G.
The NCC says a wide gap still exists between urban and rural network quality, with speeds in underserved areas up to 50 per cent slower. This digital divide, experts warn, remains a key challenge to achieving inclusive digital growth, even as Nigeria’s 5G subscriber base and data usage continue to rise.
For more details, visit New Daily Prime
