Nigeria’s 5G rollout is gradually gaining momentum, but adoption remains concentrated within corporate and high-impact sectors such as banking, healthcare, and high-tech industries. Despite progress, cost barriers continue to exclude the average Nigerian from the high-speed digital revolution.
According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), 5G network adoption reached 2.7% as of May 2025, more than doubling from 1.24% a year prior. However, this growth is disproportionately skewed toward enterprise applications rather than widespread consumer use across the country’s over 170 million telecom subscribers.
“5G adoption may appear minimal for the mass market, but enterprises and institutions are already optimizing the technology to enhance service delivery,” said Ernest Akinlola, former telecom executive and UK-based renewable energy expert, in an interview with The PUNCH.
Telecom giants including MTN Nigeria, Mafab Communications, and Airtel Nigeria have deployed 5G infrastructure since 2022, focusing on high-density urban centres. MTN was the first to roll out commercial services in August 2022, followed by Mafab in early 2023 and Airtel by mid-2023. These rollouts primarily cater to sectors capable of generating strong return on investment.
“Financial institutions, hospitals, and high-compute environments are driving current demand,” Akinlola explained. “We’re seeing banks leverage 5G for real-time transaction processing, and medical institutions using it for telehealth, diagnostics, and large data transfers.”
In the healthcare sector, 5G is already facilitating remote diagnostics and consultations, addressing critical challenges such as medical personnel shortages and geographic isolation. Notably, during MTN’s 5G launch event, doctors in Canada and the UK conducted live remote diagnoses for patients in Nigeria—underscoring the transformative potential of ultra-low latency networks.
Nigeria’s financial sector is also capitalizing on 5G capabilities, integrating the technology into digital banking operations, fintech services, and contactless payments. This aligns with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s 2025 agenda, which prioritizes open banking, interoperability, and digital financial inclusion.
Despite these advancements, everyday users remain largely sidelined. The cost of 5G-enabled smartphones, coupled with expensive data plans, places the technology beyond the reach of most Nigerians—many of whom earn less than $2 per day. As a result, a digital divide is widening.
Latest NCC data shows that 4G networks dominate with 48.82% penetration, followed by 2G at 40.08%, which remains prevalent in rural communities reliant on basic connectivity. 3G usage sits at 8.40%, further highlighting the economic and infrastructural disparities impeding universal 5G access.
Akinlola emphasized that telecoms are tailoring their 5G strategies to target high-yield sectors: “Operators are making commercially rational decisions—focusing on sectors that can absorb the cost and justify the investment.”
To bridge the accessibility gap, experts are calling for multi-stakeholder collaboration, including regulatory incentives, device subsidies, and localized infrastructure policies to promote equitable access.
“Specialized adoption is a strong foundation,” Akinlola noted, “but without deliberate policy interventions, 5G’s potential to drive inclusive digital transformation will remain untapped.”
As Nigeria aspires toward a digitally enabled economy, the future of 5G will depend not only on technological capability but also on affordability, accessibility, and inclusive policy frameworks that prioritize national development goals.
