Three years after its commercial launch in Nigeria, the fifth-generation (5G) network remains largely out of reach for millions of citizens, confined to wealthy users in major cities.
Despite its promise of faster connectivity and digital transformation, the technology has failed to bridge the digital gap, hindered by the high cost of 5G-enabled devices, limited infrastructure, and slow network expansion.
Latest data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) show that 5G penetration stands at only 3.2 per cent, translating to about 5.6 million active users out of 172 million connections.
MTN and Airtel remain the main operators offering the service, while Mafab’s rollout has been minimal.
Even in states where 5G is available—such as Lagos, Abuja, Rivers, and Ogun—coverage is largely confined to affluent urban centres, leaving most Nigerians on 4G or even 2G networks.
One major barrier is affordability. Entry-level 5G smartphones are priced far above the Federal Government’s N70,000 minimum wage, with the cheapest models ranging between N170,000 and N250,000.
Mid-range devices now sell for N400,000 and above, and the country’s lack of local phone manufacturing plants has worsened dependence on costly imports, pushing Nigeria’s smartphone import bill to about N50 billion in 2023.
Telecom experts say that for most Nigerians, the real migration is still from 3G to 4G, not 5G.
According to industry figures, 4G remains dominant with over 51 per cent of total connections, while 38 per cent of subscribers still rely on the older 2G network.
Experts argue that operators’ focus on high-value markets—Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt—has left rural and semi-urban areas behind, deepening the nation’s digital divide.
Operators, on their part, cite harsh economic conditions as barriers to wider deployment.
The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, said inflation, naira depreciation, and heavy dependence on diesel-powered generators have drastically inflated operating costs.
He added that the need for dense fibre optic backhaul and costly tower upgrades makes nationwide 5G expansion financially challenging.
Consumer advocates, including the President of the National Association of Telecom Subscribers (NATCOMs), Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, have criticised operators for “milking Nigerians” without offering real value.
He said despite a 50 per cent tariff hike earlier in the year, service quality has not improved, and 5G users are not getting the promised ultrafast experience.
Ogunbanjo urged the NCC to investigate operators’ performance before moving to newer technologies like 6G.
Analysts warn that until device costs drop and 5G coverage expands beyond major cities, the technology’s promise of driving innovation, education, and economic inclusion will remain unrealised.
Without strategic government support and local production, experts fear Nigeria could once again lag behind as the rest of the world transitions to 6G—further widening the digital gap between rich and poor citizens.