The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) has revealed that despite having access to 4G coverage, 60% of Nigerians do not use mobile internet. Angela Wamola, Sub-Saharan Africa Head of GSMA, addressed these concerns during an interactive webinar. Overall, just to place Nigeria in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa, which mirrors the challenges that we face, we see only about 19% of our population are using mobile internet using a smartphone, and another 8% are using mobile internet but using a smart feature phone,” Wamola said.
She added, “Now you’ll have a huge section of about 60% of our population who have access to at least a 4G coverage today but have never used mobile internet. That number is 60%, and we break it down as follows: 18% have a phone but are not using mobile internet, and another 42% don’t even have a device, and therefore will not be able to use mobile internet.”
GSMA highlighted that this gap in the adoption of mobile internet reveals a critical challenge in expanding digital inclusion across the country. Wamola further emphasized that, despite global advancements, 4G adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to reach only 50% by 2030.
High infrastructure costs, outdated technologies, rising energy prices, and forex volatility continue to hinder telecom expansion, especially in rural areas. Without significant investment and policy support, she disclosed that Nigeria risks falling behind in the global digital economy, impacting GDP growth, tax revenues, and overall productivity. The GSMA Sub-Saharan Africa Head also pointed to the slow adoption of 5G in the region, with Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya accounting for more than half of the continent’s 5G connections.
By 2030, 5G coverage is expected to reach just 17% of the population. She cautioned that without urgent action, Africa risks further lagging in digital transformation. To address this challenge, she called on Nigeria’s government and telecom operators to prioritize 5G infrastructure, which would attract investment and foster innovation.
The telecom sector remains crucial to Nigeria’s economy, contributing 13.5% (N33 trillion) to GDP in 2023. Further digitalization in key sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, transport, and government could add another 2 percentage points to GDP by 2028. The migration to 5G coverage is expected to add 15 million people to the number of internet users in Nigeria by 2028, according to the Nigeria Digital Economy Report 2024 presented over the weekend.
Wamola emphasized that the growth and development of both the sector and the broader economy would be driven by enhanced 4G and 5G coverage with high-quality service by 2028. She highlighted that a significant challenge in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa is the low usage of mobile internet, despite the existing infrastructure. Currently, Nigeria only has 1% 5G coverage, aiming to reach 17% by 2030.
Wamola mentioned that a collective approach and concerted efforts are required to improve this scenario. “The challenge today that we have in Sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria included, is that the minority of the people are using mobile internet. The infrastructure exists, but very few people are using mobile internet,” Wamola said.
She noted that only about 19% of the population uses mobile internet via smartphones, while another 8% uses mobile internet through smart feature phones. A staggering 60% of the population has access to at least 4G coverage but has never used mobile internet. Additionally, 13% lack any form of 4G or broadband coverage in their areas.
Addressing Nigeria’s mobile internet gap
Wamola underscored the need for significant investments in spectrum reach, pointing out that while 2G and 3G may be operational in several communities, they are not the technologies of the future. With the rest of the world moving towards 80% 5G coverage and nearing 6G technology, Africa risks being left behind if bold decisions are not made.
“We are at a point in time where if we do nothing and take serious bold decisions as a country, we risk creating another digital divide that leaves Africa and her population behind,” Wamola added. “The necessary infrastructure requires substantial capital, which is attracted by growth and the adoption of new technologies.”
Wamola praised Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, for his efforts in promoting technological efficiency and the deployment of artificial intelligence since taking office.
The development of 5G technology in Nigeria is seen as a pivotal step towards bridging the digital divide and fostering economic growth, ensuring that all demographics, including rural and urban communities, benefit from improved connectivity and technology adoption. The total number of mobile subscriptions on Nigeria’s 5G network has surged to 4.05 million as of December 2024, marking two years since MTN Nigeria first launched the advanced network. This growth comes as the total number of mobile subscriptions in the country recovered to 164.65 million, following a significant decline to 154.63 million in September 2024 due to an audit by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The audit, conducted by the NCC, removed 64.37 million lines from the national subscription base between March and September 2024. This reduction was primarily attributed to the completion of the Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs) and the National Identification Number (NIN) linkage exercise, alongside over-reporting of subscriber numbers by Globacom, which inflated its figures by as much as 40 million. A closer look at the subscriber base shows MTN leading with 84.61 million subscribers, followed by Airtel with 56.62 million, 9mobile with 3.28 million, and Glo with 20.14 million.
Currently, 47.20 percent of these connections are on the 4G network, while 5G connections make up just 2.46 percent of the total. MTN and Mafab Nigeria Communications Limited ushered in 5G technology in Nigeria in 2021 after their successful bids for two lots of 100 MHz TDD slots in the 3.5 GHz band, with Airtel acquiring its license in 2022. The introduction of 5G is expected to significantly enhance internet speed in Nigeria, where internet consumption hit a record 973,455.35 terabytes in December 2024.
5G will change everything. It will allow us to connect, create, collaborate, and compete in ways we cannot imagine yet,” said Karl Toriola, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer. The GSMA, the global body for mobile operators, projects that growing 5G adoption will contribute $10 billion to the economies of Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan African countries by 2030, accounting for 6 percent of mobile’s total economic impact.
It is expected that South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya will represent more than half of all 5G connections in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. However, Nigeria’s 5G network is still limited, currently available in fewer than 30 cities. “We still have a long way to go,” said Ubale Maska, Executive Commissioner of Technical Standards at NCC.
The slow expansion is attributed to the lack of adequate infrastructure, as highlighted by Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy. Despite its potential, 5G is not expected to become the dominant network in Nigeria any time soon. 4G is projected to remain the leading network technology up until 2029.
“In the pursuit of modernization and enhanced connectivity, subscribers are constantly migrating toward 4G networks. This trajectory indicates that 4G will be the primary driver for new subscriptions up to the year 2028,” Ericsson stated in its latest mobility report.
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