Long awaited 5G mobile network finally reaches Nigeria.
Big telcos (telecommunications) MTN and Mafab Communications last year December won the auction for the 3.5GHz 5G spectrum. Both companies later completed a $273.6 million licence fee payment to NCC—the Nigerian Communications Commission, earlier in 2022.
MTN Nigeria, the “everywhere you go” yellow telco brand launched the 5G mobile network yesterday in different sites across Nigeria’s major cities—Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu.
At the moment, you cannot find it everywhere you go. But it has been strategically launched in the Northern region, Southwest region, South-south, and the Eastern region respectively making MTN the first telco to roll out the 5G mobile network in the most populous country in Africa.
For now, Android phone users aside Samsung would wait for updates after October on how to access 5G. Samsung users may be able to start using the service few weeks from now, while iPhone users are expected to gain access by October. And by October, MTN is said to expand 5G operations to over 500 sites across the country. It’s currently active on 190 sites in 5 states.
On the other hand, Mafab Communications is yet to launch its approved 5G service.
With this development, Nigeria has qualified to be on the 5G mobile league with the following African countries:
- South Africa 🇿🇦
- Kenya 🇰🇪
- Zimbabwe 🇿🇼
Current 5G Trials In Other African Countries
5G mobile network trial is ongoing in other African countries such as:
- Madagascar 🇲🇬
- Gabon 🇬🇦
- Uganda 🇺🇬
It is ongoing in about 14 countries on the continent.
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By Elijah Christopher
