Telecom
Here’s How Africa can Adopt 5G and also Address Digital Divide
By Christoph Fitih
The African telecom service providers are not leaving any stone unturned to catch the 5G bandwagon. They have been, in fact, on the forefront of all the efforts made for the global rollout of 5G services.
Some service providers on the continent have already initiated trials and pilots of the 5G technology. While Vodacom recently launched Africa’s first commercial 5G network in Lesotho, a tiny country landlocked in the Southern Africa, others like MTN and Rain have also started 5G trials. Rain recently announced that it would be launching commercial 5G services soon.
The buzz in the African market around 5G is not without a reason. The excitement that the telecom operators in the region are showing is backed by the ‘revolutionizing’ potential behind 5G. Owing to its features like ultra-high internet speed, extremely low latency and 1000 times better bandwidth and ubiquitous coverage, 5G presents an excellent opportunity for the service providers to tackle the issue of difficult terrain and lack of infrastructure in the region.
Besides, 5G services would enable governments in the continent to take essential services like education, health, and security to the remotest areas through digital platforms. The technology allows service providers to offer many innovative use cases like remote surgery, autonomous driving and augmented reality.
The leap of faith
The action around 5G on the continent is nothing less than a leap of faith. Going beyond the glamourous use cases of 5G, there are other use cases of the technology which are extremely relevant for a growing and developing region like Africa.
At the same time, there is no running away from the fact that Africa continues to be struggling with providing basic connectivity to the people. Mobile penetration in Africa stands at meagerly 44%, while internet penetration is at a lowly 25-30% against the global average of 43%. And here is a dose of reality check – even as we talk about 5G in Africa, 60% of users on the continent are still on the primary 2G network, and by 2025 as many as 62% users are likely to be on 3G, 30% on 4G and only a tiny section of the users, 3%, are likely to be on 5G network.
These are anything but encouraging estimates for service providers bullish on 5G services in the region. However, 5G can help the administration and the service providers in addressing the digital divide, which in turn will bring down poverty and provide more opportunities for growth to the people.
A different approach
5G needs a whole new plan in terms of network architecture and the way communication networks are operated and managed today. For example, for the 5G network to achieve low latency of less than one millisecond, deep and better coverage, the service providers need to provide for network densification. This is accomplished through adding more cell sites, macro sites and deploying small cells to increase capacity and bandwidth of the network.
Again the service providers would need to leverage the concept of network slicing to live up to the potential of connecting millions of devices and providing customized services to each set of customers within the same network. Slicing, as the name suggests, means dividing the network into different slices with each part working standalone virtualised unit. This allows the service providers to offer fit-to-order services to a different set of customers within the same network without incurring additional cost.
Virtualization: The real solution
Service providers in Africa need to adopt virtualisation technology to tie all the loose ends, and successfully roll-out 5G in phases.
Virtualization is nothing but shifting the network from a hardware driven system to a software-driven system. A software-based network has many advantages – less use of heavy hardware, low consumption of energy and space, lower cost of setting up networks and a much more flexible network.
This addresses two issues that the service providers in the region face. One, by virtualizing their networks, they can not only save cost in maintaining existing networks, but the cost of expansion to unconnected regions also comes down drastically.
This ensures that while they can expand their 2G and 3G networks to new areas, they can also at the same time afford to spend on 5G trials and infrastructure building. Virtual networks also support the deployment of higher generation technologies like 4G and 5G on existing 2G/3G networks.
The 5G technology has a lot of potential for taking essential amenities like education and healthcare, among others, to remote areas of Africa at a very minimal cost. However, 5G is a fledgling technology that still needs a lot filling of gaps and adjustments in the existing networks. Adopting the concept of virtualization for expansion allows the service providers to bring down the cost of deploying networks in newer areas and at the same time prepare the networks for early adoption of 5G technology.
Christoph Fitih, is Director Sales – Africa, Parallel Wireless
The need for Nigeria to think outside the box in its need to drive towards global relevance with innovations and scientific developments will be on the front burner at the NITRA Innovative & Scientific Conference scheduled to hold on Thursday July 23, 2026 in Ikeja, Lagos.
NITRA
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will lead other delegates to discuss and take far-reaching decisions at the event, which has its theme as “Bridging Nigeria’s Digital Divide With Scientific Innovation”.
Other companies that have indicated interest in partnering with NITRA include mobile communications company, Tecno; Africa’s premier end-to-end AI solutions company, Hyperspace; and telecommunications data infrastructure company, Digital Realty.
Speaking on the proposed event, the Chairman, Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), Chike Onwuegbuchi noted that the event will seek to create a platform for government and private organisations to deliberate on policies around scientific innovations in Nigeria, challenges, place of indigenous and foreign collaboration, roles of each stakeholder, and grassroots development in that regard, among others.
According to him: “The Federal government, with series of programmes and partnerships, has established the urgent need to create an ecosystem that thrives on scientific innovation, breeding institutions and individuals with a target of placing the country at the fore-front of Next-Gen development.
It is a known fact that digital and scientific innovations are crucial, not only to the survivability of a nation, but also to the sustainability of its growth and development, with significant effect on economic strength, global image, defense and security, government capabilities to function, and public health and safety, communication and digital footprint, among others.
The federal government is actively driving scientific innovation to foster economic diversification and build a $1 trillion economy by 2030. Efforts are heavily focused on commercializing research, establishing massive research funds, and funding strategic infrastructure, particularly in technology, biotechnology, and healthcare. Core government initiatives and policies include the newly instituted National Research and Innovation Development Fund (NRIDF), which aims to mobilize about $500 million annually to support research and the commercialization of scientific outputs; and the Nigeria Genomic City, a multi-ministerial initiative aimed at transforming Nigeria into a leading hub for genomics, precision medicine, and biotechnology. It is designed to protect indigenous data, stimulate artificial intelligence in health, and develop a highly skilled scientific workforce.
According to the General Secretary of NITRA, Mr. Chidiebere Nwankwo, the forum will also be a vehicle to propagating the views of decision makers to the public, thereby furthering the cause of public awareness and information dissemination on the topic.
The focus, he said will be on how Nigeria can sustain digital innovative growth and scientific development in Nigeria
Concerns over network reliability and its impact on Nigeria’s growing creator economy took centre stage at MTN Nigeria’s Data on Trial event, where content creator and streamer, Jarvis, challenged telecommunications operators to improve connectivity for digital creators.
Speaking during the event, Jarvis asked whether there were locations in Nigeria where uninterrupted internet connectivity could support real-life (IRL) streaming without network disruptions.
“Are there places where there is no breakage when streaming IRL?” she asked.
Her question highlighted the challenges faced by content creators who depend on stable internet services for live streaming, content uploads and real-time engagement with audiences.
Responding, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Technical Officer, Mr Yahaya Ibrahim, said network performance depends on several factors, including location, network coverage, device capability and the number of users connected to a particular base station.
He noted that operators continue to invest in expanding network capacity to meet the growing demand for data services.
Earlier, MTN’s General Manager, Network Performance and Quality Assurance, Mr Michael Ndukwe, explained the evolution of mobile network technology in Nigeria, from first-generation (1G) services to the current fifth-generation (5G) technology.
According to him, each phase of technological advancement has significantly increased network capacity and enabled new digital services.
Ndukwe cited Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) data showing that Nigerians consumed about 13.2 million terabytes of data in 2025.
He added that data usage reached approximately 4.06 million terabytes in the first quarter of 2026, reflecting the country’s increasing reliance on digital platforms and online services.
According to him, the growth is being driven by wider adoption of 4G and 5G networks, increased smartphone penetration, the proliferation of smart devices and expanding use of social media platforms.
Participants at the event noted that as more Nigerians build businesses and careers around digital content, access to reliable and high-speed internet has become critical to sustaining the country’s digital economy and creator ecosystem.
In an era where customer complaints about data consumption often play out on social media, MTN Nigeria took an unusual step. Rather than issue another statement, the company opened its doors and invited critics, customers, influencers and journalists to interrogate its operations at the Data On Trial in Lagos.
Dr Karl Toriola, MTN Nigeria
The session offered a rare glimpse into the realities behind Nigeria’s digital economy. MTN Nigeria CEO, Dr Karl Toriola, acknowledged public concerns and encouraged participants to ask difficult questions. “Give it to us as hard as you can. Ask us the most difficult questions, don’t hold back,” he said. The company used the platform to explain how factors such as automatic cloud backups, video streaming and app settings contribute significantly to data consumption, issues many users often overlook.
Beyond addressing consumer concerns, MTN shed light on the scale of investment required to keep Nigeria connected. Toriola disclosed that the company invested close to ₦1 trillion in network infrastructure last year and plans to exceed that figure this year. He explained that these investments support network expansion, improved capacity and service delivery for millions of Nigerians across the country.
The session also highlighted MTN’s commitment to accountability. Company executives explained that MTN’s billing systems are independently audited and reviewed by regulators to ensure accuracy and fairness. “What we are saying authoritatively is we will never deliberately shortchange you on the consumption of your data,” Toriola stated, reaffirming the company’s position on customer trust and transparency.
More than a defence of its network, Data On Trial reflected a company willing to engage openly with the people it serves. At a time when digital connectivity has become central to everyday life, MTN’s decision to answer tough questions in public signalled a broader commitment to transparency, customer education and continuous investment in Nigeria’s digital future.
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