(Ecofin Agency) - In September 2022, MTN became the first telecom operator to deploy 5G in Nigeria. In a context marked by growing demand for broadband internet, the operator wants to accelerate the adoption of the latest generation of mobile technology in the country.

Telecom operator MTN Nigeria hopes to cover 10% of the Nigerian population with its fifth-generation (5G) mobile network by the end of the year. To that end, the company plans to accelerate investments in the deployment of 5G sites, MTN Group's 2022 integrated report reveals.

The operator launched the ultra-broadband technology in Nigeria in September 2022. In the first phase, the new network was rolled out in Lagos. It will be extended to six other cities, namely Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, Owerri, and Maiduguri, and then gradually to the rest of the country. By the end of 2022, the company had deployed 588 5G sites in Nigeria's major cities. It plans to cover the whole territory by 2025. 

The widespread coverage of 5G in Nigeria is expected to facilitate access to services such as video games, on-demand video, e-learning, e-government, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT)... 

The adoption of that broadband technology could nevertheless be slowed by the cost of 5G-enabled smartphones. According to the report "5G: What can change in Africa with ultra high-speed broadband" published by sister website Ecofin Pro, 5G smartphones currently cost between $200 and $1,500. This means they are out of reach for most Africans. The high cost of 5G Internet services is also a barrier to adoption.

Isaac K. Kassouwi