The number of Nigerians using 5G services has exceeded 4 million, just two years after its initial rollout. By December 2024, 5G subscriptions reached 4.05 million, highlighting the gradual expansion of next-generation connectivity across the country.
This growth comes amid a broader recovery in mobile subscriptions, which bounced back to 164.65 million after a drastic drop in September 2024 due to an audit by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
NCC Audit Triggers Mobile Subscription Decline
Between March and September 2024, the NCC removed 64.37 million inactive or improperly registered lines from the national database. While some were deactivated as part of the SIM-NIN linkage exercise, the most significant reduction came from Globacom’s over-reporting, which inflated its actual subscriber count by 40 million lines.
As of December 2024, Nigeria’s mobile subscription landscape was as follows:
- MTN Nigeria: 84.61 million subscribers
- Airtel Nigeria: 56.62 million subscribers
- Globacom (Glo): 20.14 million subscribers
- 9mobile: 3.28 million subscribers
Most of these users—47.2%—are on 4G networks, while only 2.46% have switched to 5G, indicating that the adoption of the faster network remains relatively slow.
The Journey to 5G in Nigeria
Nigeria’s 5G revolution officially began in December 2021, when MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications won licenses for the 3.5 GHz spectrum. Airtel later joined in 2022, securing its own 5G license.
The introduction of 5G technology promised ultra-fast internet speeds, improved reliability, and the ability to support advanced applications such as smart cities, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence-driven solutions.
Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, expressed optimism about 5G’s potential, stating:
“5G will revolutionize how we connect, create, and collaborate. It will open up new opportunities we can’t even fully imagine yet.”
Nigeria’s Internet Consumption Reaches New Heights
As mobile broadband usage grows, Nigeria’s internet data consumption has also seen a surge, hitting a record 973,455.35 terabytes in December 2024. This trend reflects increasing demand for high-speed internet, driven by the country’s expanding digital economy.
Challenges Slowing 5G Expansion
Despite its potential, 5G deployment remains limited, with coverage currently available in fewer than 30 cities, according to Ubale Maska, NCC’s Executive Commissioner of Technical Standards.
Minister of Communications, Bosun Tijani, also pointed to infrastructure limitations as a major roadblock:
“The network infrastructure required for 5G is not yet widespread across Nigeria, which is slowing its rollout.”
Additionally, Ericsson’s latest mobility report predicts that 4G will remain the dominant mobile technology in Nigeria until at least 2029, as many subscribers are still transitioning from 3G to 4G before considering 5G adoption.
Future Outlook for 5G in Nigeria
While 5G adoption remains in its early stages, global telecoms body GSMA forecasts that the technology will contribute $10 billion to Nigeria’s and Sub-Saharan Africa’s economies by 2030.
By then, Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya are expected to lead 5G growth in the region, accounting for more than half of all connections.
Although 5G is not expected to dominate Nigeria’s mobile landscape soon, its steady expansion signals a new era of digital transformation, with potential benefits across industries, from finance and healthcare to smart infrastructure and e-commerce.
