Nigeria is poised to become one of the next destinations for 5G technology in Africa, as announced by MTN during the launch of its 5G network in Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth, South Africa. This significant 5G expansion across the continent is a direct outcome of an agreement between MTN and Ericsson for the deployment of the Fifth Generation network. The plan is to roll out 5G as a commercial service in Nigeria and across 20 other African countries where MTN currently operates.

The initial stages of 5G deployment are characterized by high infrastructure costs. Establishing this advanced network requires new transmission infrastructure, thousands of cell towers, multiple thousands of small cells, and distributed antenna systems (DAS). These antenna systems are designed to be deployed on utility poles and other existing infrastructure. In preparation for its 5G launch, MTN undertook an upgrade to Ericsson’s Evolved Packet Core (EPC), which facilitated the launch of 5G services based on new radio (NR) non-standalone (NSA) technology. This upgrade also ensures a seamless transition to new Radio (NR) standalone and 5G Core in the future.

The partnership between MTN and Ericsson provides MTN with radio access network equipment from the Ericsson Radio System portfolio. This equipment is capable of enabling 5G services on both low and mid-band frequencies, alongside Ericsson’s Spectrum Sharing service. Fadi Pharaon, president of Ericsson Middle East and Africa, emphasized the strong, long-standing collaboration with MTN and expressed enthusiasm for continuing to lead innovation and drive the digitalization of Africa.

Despite the advancements in 5G, Nigeria's journey towards complete digitalization has been slow, evidenced by the relatively low penetration rate of 3G/4G networks. Statistics from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) show that 3G/4G network adoption increased to 40.14% in May, with 76,618,992 total subscriptions. This represents an increase from 33.13% (63,244,610 subscriptions) in May 2019 and 24.83% (47,401,673 subscriptions) in May 2018. The increase in subscriptions between May 2018 and May 2019 was 33.42% year-on-year, while the growth from May 2019 to May 2020 was 21.1%. This indicates a slowing rate of 3G/4G adoption in 2019 compared to the previous year.

Given the current low connectivity levels for existing networks, the adoption of 5G in Nigeria is expected to be even slower. This is primarily due to the substantial additional requirements associated with 5G, such as new devices, modems, and potentially new SIM cards. Furthermore, the significant costs of 5G infrastructure suggest that commercial 5G services will come at a higher price point than 3G/4G services. This contrasts with the new broadband plan released by the NCC in March, which aims to make broadband accessible at a maximum price of ₦390 for 1GB of data by 2025, specifically to boost 3G/4G adoption. The additional costs of 5G, which will likely be passed on from telecommunication companies to subscribers, are expected to further impede its adoption in Nigeria, potentially more so than for the current networks.

In conclusion, while industries, businesses, and individuals in Nigeria and other parts of Africa stand to gain significant benefits from the 5G network, including faster internet speeds and reduced latency, its adoption is projected to be slow. It may take several years before 5G achieves significant penetration in Nigeria.