Last week, while revisiting some of my old writings, I came across a few pieces focused on 5G technology. I was struck by the overwhelming euphoria and high expectations that accompanied its introduction to our nation. It was hailed almost as a silver bullet capable of resolving many of the country’s pressing challenges.
5G was touted as a solution to security issues, a catalyst for new businesses, and a vital component in the development of smart cities and ecosystems. The technology promised a world where machines could communicate seamlessly, providing vast data pipes for information and imagery. With 5G devices, subscribers could engage in a multitude of activities—perhaps even taking vacations at the International Space Station, as encouraged by Elon Musk and his SpaceX initiatives.
Even President Muhammadu Buhari, typically reserved in his expressions, praised 5G. He remarked, “5G technology is significantly faster than earlier digital technologies and provides near real-time communication. This can play a key role in enhancing security across the nation. It will enable our security institutions to effectively deploy robotics, autonomous vehicles, augmented and virtual reality to address any security challenges that we face. To this end, I hereby direct all the security institutions to immediately leverage 5G when deployed in order to beef up security in the country.”
This enthusiasm marked the beginning of 2022. Fast forward to today, three major operators—MTN, Mafab, and Airtel—have launched 5G services in Nigeria, yet the observable impact on daily life and businesses seems minimal, at least from my recent evaluation.
According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the statistics released in March 2024 paint a stark picture of mobile technology usage: 2G accounts for 56.97%, 3G for 9.04%, 4G for 32.74%, and 5G sits at a mere 1.24%. With active mobile subscriptions totaling 219 million, only 2.7 million of those are attributed to 5G.
Mobile technology has progressed through various generations (G). 1G was limited to voice services and lacked interoperability. The advent of 2G with GSM in 2001 introduced digital features, leading to significant advancements in subsequent generations. 3G brought video capabilities and faster data transmission, while 4G further enhanced these functionalities. 5G, regarded as the pinnacle of mobile technology, is designed to support smart homes, machine-to-machine communication, and much more.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) defines 5G as “the fifth generation of mobile technologies that connects people, things, data, applications, transport systems, and cities in smart networked communication environments. The networks transport a huge amount of data, reliably connect an extremely large number of devices, and process vast volumes of data with minimal delay.”
Despite ITU reporting that global 5G coverage reached nearly 40% by September 2023, this distribution is uneven. High-income countries boast 89% coverage, while low-income nations experience a near absence of service.
In Nigeria, the telecommunications landscape is telling. The NCC’s data indicates that 2G remains dominant, suggesting that for operators to maintain profitability, they will likely continue to rely on 2G well into the future, even as the technology is phased out in other parts of the world.
The ITU’s observations resonate in Nigeria, where 5G has only been introduced in select major cities, leaving many others—and particularly less developed areas—far behind. The initial excitement surrounding this technology is quickly dissipating. Operators, once hopeful for immediate profits, now view 5G as a long-term investment rather than a quick return.
As the landscape of mobile technology evolves, the gap between expectations and reality grows wider, and the once-promising future of 5G in Nigeria appears increasingly uncertain.