5G, which means 5th Generation of wireless cellular technology, was first launched globally on April 3, 2019, it started attention in Nigeria around 2020 but was officially launched in Nigeria by MTN Nigeria in September 2022, Airtel followed suit on June 19, 2023. This giant leap marked a development for Nigeria in the digital space by reducing the gap between millions of people and the internet.
Since then, 5G has become popular and its adoption in Nigeria have grown remarkably, thereby providing faster internet speeds and facilitating innovative services like augmented reality, virtual reality, advanced mobile applications, IoT, and more.
Key Features of 5G
5G technology offers the following key features:
- Speeds up to 10 Gbps: The 5G technology in major cities having high coverage delivers download speeds up to 10 Gbps, which is 100 times faster than 4G.
- Lower Latency: 5G has promised a latency as low as 1 ms, which enables real-time applications such as autonomous driving, remote surgery, and live gaming.
- Higher Capacity: 5G technology, like in MTN’s 5G, can connect up to 32-64 devices at a time, supporting a large number of connected devices in dense areas such as smart cities or crowded events.
- Improved Energy Efficiency: 5G networks are designed to be energy efficient, reducing overall power consumption in mobile devices and networks.
Benefits of 5G
- Increased Connectivity: 5G has made available stronger and increased connectivity for a large number of devices thereby enabling ease and efficiency of communication.
- Faster Speeds: 5G promises speeds of up to 20 Gbps and latency as low as 1 ms, which reduces lag time and is ideal for real-time applications like virtual reality, telemedicine, and online education.
- Enhanced Mobile Experience: Improvements in voice and video quality on mobile devices has been made available by 5G technology like in WhatsApp calls and zoom meetings. This experience makes mobile communication more reliable and efficient.
- Security Benefits: 5G provides enhanced security features such as stronger encryption, network slicing, and multi-factor authentication. These features will ensure better protection against cyber threats and data breaches, particularly useful for businesses with critical infrastructure.
- Business and Economic Growth: The introduction of 5G is expected to improve economic growth by enabling new business models, especially remote work, thereby increasing productivity and innovation across multiple sectors. The technology creates opportunities for entrepreneurs and companies in fields like fintech, e-commerce, agriculture, and manufacturing.
Challenges of 5G in Nigeria
Despite its benefits, some challenges come with the rollout of 5G in Nigeria:
- High Costs: The cost of implementing 5G requires significant investment in infrastructure, which includes new base stations, fiber networks, and compatible devices. This increase in cost would make 5G services expensive for both providers and consumers.
- Device Compatibility: Enjoying the benefits of 5G means upgrading to 5G compactible devices. The cost of these upgrades is not always cheap for the available internet user.
- Infrastructure Gaps: Nigeria is still facing challenges with internet penetration in rural areas; this would limit the reach and adoption of 5G in rural areas.
Current Status in Nigeria
Since its launch, Nigeria’s 5G network has experienced great expansion and adoption. Between May and November 2023, there was a massive 707.09% increase in 5G subscriptions, reaching 2.14 million users at the end of 2023. Both MTN Nigeria and Airtel are leading the efforts to expand 5G coverage across the country by investing heavily in the technology.
Coverage
As at the time of writing, 5G has been made available in over 30 cities in Nigeria, including Lagos, FCT, Port Harcourt, and Owerri. These cities experience faster speeds of up to 10 Gbps.
As of now, 5G services are now available in over 30 cities across Nigeria, these cities include major urban centers like Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, and Owerri. Users in these mentioned cities can now enjoy download speeds of up to 10 Gbps, making it one of the fastest and most reliable networks available.
Conclusion
The launch of 5G technology marks a significant milestone in the journey of Nigeria to Digital transformation brought about by the faster speeds, low latency features, and increased connectivity, 5G is set to bring innovation to various sectors, including healthcare education, agriculture, IoT and entertainment.
