High Costs, Poor Coverage Stall Nigeria’s 5G Dream

THREE years after its rollout, Nigeria’s 5G network remains a luxury for the wealthy, with adoption below 3.5% and coverage limited to major cities.

High device prices—starting from about ₦170,000, more than two months’ salary for minimum wage earners—and expensive routers have shut out most Nigerians. Data consumption has doubled since 2023, but poor service quality and high costs persist.

MTN and Airtel continue to invest billions in expanding infrastructure, while Mafab’s 5G service remains largely inactive. Experts blame weak infrastructure, forex challenges, and lack of local phone production for the slow progress.

Despite 5G’s struggles, global attention is shifting toward 6G, expected to debut around 2028, raising fears Nigeria could again fall behind in the next wave of digital connectivity.