Technology Gap Widens as 5G Phones Surge Ahead of Network Expansion
Story: write by Uzuh Rita October 28,2025
Nigeria’s digital transformation faces a growing risk as widespread adoption of 5G-enabled smartphones continues to outstrip the nation’s network infrastructure development. A new industry report indicates that while consumers are embracing next-generation devices in major cities including Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, the telecommunications backbone required to power them remains severely underdeveloped.
Global projections indicate a 13.2 percent rise in 5G device shipments in 2025, following a 16 percent increase in 2024. In the Middle East and Africa regions, smartphone sales grew by three percent year-on-year in Q2 2025, supported by promotional offers and improving macroeconomic conditions.
Nigeria reflects this trend strongly, with affordable 5G-capable phones from brands such as Xiaomi and Samsung accounting for nearly half of all new device acquisitions. Despite this momentum, only 12.7 percent of the country’s telecom towers are 5G-ready, leaving network access restricted to select urban districts while large portions of the country remain unserved.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) estimates national 5G population coverage at under five percent, in sharp contrast to the approximately 45 percent coverage achieved for 4G. A joint NCC-Ookla assessment reported a 70.9 percent 5G coverage deficit in Lagos, where more than 41,000 devices could not connect to a 5G signal. In Abuja, a 65.6 percent network gap currently affects over 16,000 devices.
Limited access poses serious implications for Nigeria’s fast-growing digital economy. Lagos, Africa’s largest city and a center for financial technology, online commerce, and data-driven innovation, faces connectivity constraints that impede business productivity and tech ecosystem growth. Abuja’s network challenges also risk slowing the country’s ambition to lead Africa’s digital sector.
Telecom consultant Jide Awe warns that adoption without corresponding infrastructure investment will create a long-term digital bottleneck, leaving Nigeria behind regional competitors such as South Africa, which has achieved wider 5G penetration.
Affordability also remains a critical issue. MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola highlights that although lower-cost models are entering the market, many Nigerians still cannot afford 5G smartphones priced between N120,000 and N2 million. Roughly 88.4 million citizens currently live in extreme poverty, significantly limiting nationwide adoption.
Network reliability continues to struggle under operational pressures, with the NCC recording daily disruptions including over 1,100 fibre cuts, 545 site access restrictions, and 99 incidents of power equipment theft. These issues slow rollout and inflate operator costs.
Efforts to resolve bottlenecks are underway. A tariff review approved in January 2025 is credited with enabling over $1 billion in fresh investments for base station upgrades and fibre expansion. Government reforms have also designated telecom infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure to reduce vandalism and unmanaged construction-related disruptions.
MTN and Airtel are now applying artificial intelligence to optimise deployment strategies. MTN’s chief technical officer Yahaya Ibrahim notes that high-demand cities are being prioritised due to the limited number of active 5G-ready devices, estimated at 4.9 million nationwide. Airtel is expanding capacity with small-cell installations in densely populated districts such as Victoria Island and Computer Village, while extending fibre reach through partnerships with satellite network providers including Starlink and OneWeb.
Despite these interventions, rural areas remain heavily underserved with significantly slower internet performance than urban locations, reinforcing the country’s digital divide. Industry operators continue to push for targeted government subsidies to accelerate national coverage and ensure equitable access to high-speed broadband connectivity.
An NCC spokesperson noted that expanding network capacity remains essential for Nigeria’s future economic competitiveness and stated that “universal access to high-speed connectivity must remain the goal.”
