5G Growth Faces Infrastructure, Adoption Hurdles Despite Promising Future

Nigeria’s journey toward widespread 5G adoption continues to face infrastructure and adoption challenges, even as mobile subscriptions on the network reached 4.05 million in December 2024, two years after MTN Nigeria first launched the technology.

While this marks progress, 5G still accounts for just 2.46 percent of the country’s total 164.65 million mobile subscriptions.

Despite initial excitement over the potential of 5G to transform connectivity, the network’s rollout has been slow, with service still available in fewer than 30 cities.

According to stakeholders, the country still has a long way to go as Nigeria is still grappling with 5G, adding that 4G LTE is yet to reach full nationwide coverage.

Infrastructure deficits remain one of the biggest barriers to expansion, the minister of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani acknowledged, adding that the lack of adequate infrastructure has significantly slowed the rollout.

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“The infrastructure that drives 5G is not something that is across the nation, ” Tijani said, pointing to the need for further investments in fiber optics and base stations to enable broader coverage.

Meanwhile, mobile subscriptions in Nigeria have been recovering after a major NCC audit slashed the national subscriber base by nearly 10 million between March and September 2024.

Looking ahead, industry projections suggest that 4G will continue to dominate the market in Nigeria and across Africa until at least 2029, with 5G adoption remaining slow. However, GSMA, the global body for telcos, estimates that 5G could contribute $10 billion to Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan African economies by 2030.

While South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya are expected to lead 5G adoption in the region, significant hurdles remain. As CEO of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, puts it, “5G will change everything,” but the question remains: when will Nigeria be truly ready to harness its full potential?