MTN’s 5G Network Is Now Active In Nigeria
The telecom giant has rolled out its 5G network across 190 sites in the country—becoming the first telecommunication provider in Nigeria to roll out the 5G mobile network.
MTN Nigeria revealed that it has rolled out its 5G network across 190 sites in the country—becoming the first telecommunication provider in Nigeria to roll out the 5G mobile network. This means Nigeria has now joined South Africa and Kenya in the 5G race in Africa. MTN plans to increase the number of its 5G sites to 600 by October.
The company said it is currently collaborating with the Federal Government of Nigeria to achieve a 70% internet penetration by 2025.
Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, General Manager Fixed Broadband, MTN said MTN Group’s Strategic Ambition 2025 is in close alignment with the Federal Government’s broadband targets. Ikenna-Emeka said that the telecom provider intends to deliver the right level of effective digital solutions to power Africa’s growth.
Before the rollout, MTN Nigeria with support from mobile operators like Huawei, ZTE and Ericsson ran spectrum tests for the 5G network in Abuja, Calabar and Lagos in 2019, this made Nigeria the first West African nation to initiate the 5G trial.
At the moment, less than 1% of mobile phone connections in Sub-Saharan Africa are on 5G, and this number is not expected to grow this year but is likely to reach 7% in 2026, per a report by Ericsson, a Swedish networking and telecommunications company that partnered with MTN Nigeria for its 5G trial in 2019.
Despite the rollout, not every MTN user will be able to access the 5G network immediately, only 5G-enabled devices can access the network. The MTN 5G router is currently available for preorder at the cost of ₦50,000 (~$100). The 5G network is currently active in nine states—Anambra, Borno, Delta, Edo, Imo, Kano, Lagos, Rivers, Oyo—and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.