As of January 2025, MTN Nigeria and Airtel are at the forefront of 5G implementation in the country. MTN Nigeria is the first telecom operator to launched its 5G services. It was launched in August 2022. By February 2023, it had established 588 5G sites across key cities, including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, Owerri, and Maiduguri. The company said, they invested over $120 million in expanding its 5G coverage, which increased its population coverage from 3% in 2022 to 11% in 2023.
Airtel Nigeria commenced its commercial 5G services in June 2023, launching in Lagos, Ogun, Abuja, and Rivers states. This move positioned Airtel alongside MTN in the 5G rollout, with plans to extend services to additional cities as time goes on. Airtel also joined the initiative of installment payment whereby, Nigeria can buy 5G enable smart phones and buy little by little.
The third is Mafab Communications, which also secured a 5G license alongside MTN in December 2021, but began its 5G rollout in late 2023. They initially started by offering 5G services through routers. The company plans to expand its coverage to six cities in the first phase.
In summary, MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria are leading the 5G deployment in Nigeria, with significant investments and expansions in their 5G infrastructure across major cities.
Check TECHCABAL for full gist. Also, in one of our previous post, we talk about the benefits of 5G network to Nigerians
