5G Network Now In 30 Nigerian Cities
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that the Fifth Generation (5G) network has only reached about 30 cities in Nigeria.
In the last NCC updated subscription statistics as of August 2023, the Commission puts 5G subscriptions in the country at 0.83 per cent penetration with some 500,000 people enjoying the service.
The current 5G-network status was revealed in Lagos, when the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, unveiled his agenda for the sector for the next five years.
While assuring that during his tenure, issues limiting the expansion of telecoms services would receive utmost attention, Maida posited that the need for improved telephony services couldn’t be over-emphasized.
On the question of how ready Nigeria is for the sixth-generation (6G) network, Maida said: “On every level of technology, Nigeria won’t be left behind. We are yet to maximize the benefits of 5G. We are still at the earliest stage of that. But we can’t be left behind by other countries, as the world progresses, we also progress. We still need to leverage 5G before we can talk of adopting 6G.”
Providing more insights, the Executive Commissioner, Technical Standard, Ubale Maska, said: “Nigeria is still grappling with 5G. I can say that the network is still in less than 30 cities in the country. So, we still have a long way to go. But we have strategies to deploy the service in Nigeria. 4G LTE has not even covered the entire country.
“So, before we talk of 5G, 6G, let’s maximize 4G to the fullest. When the spectrum for 6G becomes available globally, we shall deploy as fast as possible.”
2G still dominates network usage in the country, with 60.47 per cent penetration. 3G penetration was put at 9.57 per cent and 4G, 29.13 per cent population penetration as of August 2023.
Also, since launched in Nigeria, going into the third year now, the licensees, MTN, Mafab and Airtel, have pushed for more 5G penetrations in the country.
While Airtel claims to be in Lagos, Ogun, Port Harcourt and Abuja, MTN is in over 15 cities across the country. Mafab claims to be in Lagos and Abuja and is currently planning expansion.