Telecom
Nigeria, Others Stuck on WiFi 4 As World Adopts WiFi 6, WiFi 7
Nigeria among other African countries are falling “dangerously” behind the rest of the world in the adoption of WiFi technologies, with nearly half of the continent’s internet users still relying on the ageing WiFi 4 standard, while developed markets increasingly transition to WiFi 6 and WiFi 7.
This is according to Ookla’s Global State of WiFi 2026 report, which analysed speed test data from Android devices worldwide and found a widening gap between Africa and leading global markets.
The firm used these devices to track the prevalence of different WiFi generations (WiFi 4 through WiFi 7), the spectrum bands being used (2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz), and the installed base of customer premises equipment connected to those devices.
While WiFi 6 has become firmly established across much of the world, Africa remains heavily dependent on legacy wireless technologies that were introduced more than a decade ago, the report finds.
While countries such as South Korea, Japan, Singapore and the US are rapidly migrating toward WiFi 6 and WiFi 7, Africa remains largely anchored on WiFi 4.
South Africa remains one of the continent’s most advanced broadband markets, yet the country is struggling to gain traction with the latest WiFi technologies, states Ookla.
The report notes: “WiFi 4 – a standard finalised back in 2009 – still accounted for 48.8% of Africa’s WiFi samples in the first quarter, with WiFi 5 a fast riser at 34.4%, up from 19.9% four years earlier. WiFi 6 climbed from 1.6% to 16.8% over the same period, while WiFi 7 barely registered at 0.1%.”
Ookla’s findings show a divide between advanced broadband markets and developing regions when it comes to next-generation WiFi adoption.
By comparison, WiFi 6 has already captured 27% of the global market, up from just 6% in 2022.
“WiFi 7 has also begun establishing a foothold globally, accounting for nearly 2% of worldwide connections. Meanwhile, older WiFi 4 and WiFi 5 technologies continue to decline globally, falling to 34% and 39%, respectively,” says Ookla.
The strongest uptake of WiFi 6 and WiFi 7 is concentrated in technologically-mature markets such as the US, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Singapore and several Western European countries, where fibre broadband penetration is high and consumers upgrade smartphones, routers and home networking equipment more frequently, according to the report.
“These markets have also moved more aggressively to open up the 6GHz spectrum needed to support WiFi 6E and WiFi 7 services, helping accelerate adoption of newer wireless technologies.”
WiFi 7, the next evolution of the WiFi network protocol, promises to be a substantial upgrade over its predecessor – surpassing the speeds of Ethernet cables, and significantly improving connection reliability and latency over WiFi 6.
While SA’s market is still in the early stages of migration to next-generation wireless technologies, research firm 6Wresearch forecasts strong growth in SA’s WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E ecosystem over the next few years, driven by increasing demand for high-speed connectivity, fibre expansion and growing use of connected devices.
Legacy spectrum dependency
The report also highlights Africa’s continued dependence on older wireless spectrum bands.
The congested 2.4GHz band remains the dominant carrier of internet traffic across Africa, accounting for 52.4% of all WiFi samples during the first quarter of 2026.
Although this represents a significant improvement from the 76.4% share recorded in 2022, the continent still lags behind regions where users have largely migrated to higher-capacity spectrum, the report states.
The 5GHz band has expanded rapidly across Africa, growing from 23.6% of samples in 2022 to 47.6% in 2026. However, the newer 6GHz spectrum, which is critical to unlocking the full capabilities of WiFi 6E and WiFi 7, remains virtually non-existent across the continent.
“The congested 2.4GHz band remained the continent’s majority carrier at 52.4%, down from 76.4% in 2022, with the 5GHz band the chief beneficiary, rising from 23.6% to 47.6%.”
One of the starkest findings in the report is Africa’s complete absence from the global shift towards 6GHz WiFi.
Across the continent as a whole, the 6GHz band accounted for a flat 0.0% share of WiFi samples during the first quarter of 2026. South Africa was the only market to record any meaningful activity on the band, but even then usage reached just 0.2%.
The report states: “Just 0.2% of WiFi connections in South Africa ran over the 6GHz band in the first quarter of 2026. In a market where households keep routers and handsets for years, and where service providers have been slow to bundle 6GHz-capable customer premises equipment, an allocation on paper turns into real-world use only gradually.”
According to forecasts from Grand View Research, SA’s demand for WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E technologies is expected to accelerate sharply over the remainder of the decade, driven by enterprise digital transformation, smart-home deployments and increasing bandwidth requirements.
Device readiness
The Ookla report suggests that consumer devices are no longer the primary barrier to WiFi upgrades globally and in SA.
According to Ookla, 61.4% of Android devices sampled worldwide already support WiFi 6 or newer technologies. This indicates that many markets now possess the device ecosystem needed to support more advanced wireless networks.
“However, Africa faces a different reality. The continent’s slower replacement cycle for smartphones and routers, combined with high equipment costs, and slower deployment of advanced customer premises equipment, continues to delay migration to newer standards,” notes the report.
Other obstacles include regulatory and spectrum availability constraints, as a result of the full 6GHz spectrum still being debated by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa and local telecoms operators.
Widening connectivity gap
The Ookla findings suggest Africa risks falling further behind as the rest of the world accelerates toward WiFi 6, WiFi 6E and WiFi 7.
While the continent has made notable progress by shifting traffic from the overcrowded 2.4GHz spectrum to the more capable 5GHz band, the overwhelming dominance of WiFi 4 and the near absence of 6GHz adoption highlight the scale of the challenge ahead.
While SA can function without widespread WiFi 6 and WiFi 7 adoption, there are significant economic, technological and competitiveness consequences if the country falls too far behind.
“These include reduced return on fibre investments, challenges supporting artificial intelligence and data-intensive applications, lower business competitiveness, persistent network congestion, slower smart city and internet of things development.”
Airtel Nigeria has secured a fresh 10-year renewal of its spectrum licence from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), reinforcing the telecom operator’s long-term commitment to expanding broadband connectivity and improving digital access across the country.
The renewed licence covers Airtel’s spectrum holdings, which are critical to the delivery of voice and high-speed data services, providing regulatory certainty for continued investments in network expansion, capacity upgrades and improved customer experience.
According to the company, the renewal underscores confidence in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector and will support its ongoing efforts to bridge the country’s digital divide by extending quality connectivity to more underserved communities.
Sunil Taldar, chief executive officer, Airtel Africa, said the renewal provides the company with the confidence to continue investing in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
He said, “The spectrum renewal reaffirms our long-term commitment to Nigeria, our largest market. It gives us the certainty required to continue investing in network expansion, improve service quality and accelerate digital inclusion for millions of Nigerians.”
Taldar added that Airtel remains focused on expanding broadband access and supporting Nigeria’s digital economy agenda through sustained investments in telecommunications infrastructure.
He further said, “We appreciate the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Federal Government for their continued support in creating an enabling environment for investment. We remain committed to delivering reliable and affordable connectivity while contributing to Nigeria’s socio-economic development.”
Meanwhile, Industry observers said the licence renewal removes regulatory uncertainty and allows Airtel to pursue long-term capital investments, including the expansion of 4G and 5G networks, as demand for mobile data and digital services continues to grow across Nigeria.
The renewal comes as telecom operators continue to invest heavily in broadband infrastructure to meet rising data consumption and support government efforts to achieve Universal digital access.
Furthermore, It also aligns with the NCC’s objective of ensuring efficient spectrum management while encouraging sustained private sector investment in the country’s telecommunications industry.
Telecom
GSMA Supports Abuja Declaration on Meaningful Connectivity for Africa, Joins Partners to Launch ATLAS Umoja
The GSMA supports the Abuja Ministerial Declaration on Meaningful Connectivity for Africa by Ministers and Heads of Delegation at the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) Conference of Plenipotentiaries (CPL-2026), describing it as an important milestone in strengthening Africa’s digital future through evidence-based policy, investment and regional collaboration.
The Declaration commits African governments to advancing policies that promote meaningful connectivity, digital inclusion, technology-neutral regulation, resilient digital infrastructure and locally relevant digital services. It also reinforces the importance of collaboration between governments, industry and development partners to close the continent’s connectivity and usage gaps.
Throughout the conference, the GSMA has worked alongside governments, regulators and industry leaders to support these shared ambitions through practical policy engagement, evidence-based research and new collaborative initiatives designed to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation.
Speaking during the ATU-GSMA African ICT Regulatory Leaders’ Forum, policymakers and regulators explored how stronger evidence-based regulation, greater regulatory harmonisation and future-ready policy frameworks can create an enabling environment for investment, innovation and sustainable digital growth across Africa. Drawing insights from the GSMA’s Digital Africa Index, participants also examined future-ready approaches to satellite regulation, highlighting how technology-neutral licensing frameworks can support innovation while extending connectivity to underserved communities.
Caroline Mbugua, Senior Director, Public Policy, Africa, GSMA, said: “The Abuja Ministerial Declaration sends an important signal that African governments share a common vision for delivering meaningful connectivity through modern, evidence-based and investment-friendly policy. Its emphasis on digital inclusion, technology-neutral regulation, resilient infrastructure and stronger regional collaboration reflects the practical policy foundations needed to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation.”
Launching ATLAS Umoja AI
Supporting the ambitions set out in the Abuja Declaration, the GSMA, Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Togo’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Transformation, Kenya’s Ministry of information, Communications and the Digital Economy, Namibia’s Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Benin’s Ministry of Digital Transformation and Innovation, Awarri, Zindi, Pawa AI and Mozisha today announced ATLAS Umoja AI –a new pan-African initiative to strengthen collaboration on African language AI.
Designed to complement national AI programmes, ATLAS Umoja will bring together governments, industry and researchers to share expertise, datasets and best practice, helping develop trusted, scalable AI that better reflects Africa’s languages, cultures and development priorities. The initiative aims to accelerate innovation, attract investment and scale African language AI across the continent.
The launch builds on the momentum of the newly established AI for Good Global Commission. Ministers from Nigeria, Namibia and Togo, who serve on the Commission, have committed to support Africa Umoja, demonstrating how African leaders are turning global ambitions for trusted and inclusive AI into practical regional collaboration.
Angela Wamola, Head of Africa, GSMA, said: “Africa’s AI future must reflect Africa’s own languages, communities and development priorities. ATLAS Umoja brings together governments, industry, researchers and innovators to build African language AI at scale. By making AI and digital services available in the languages people speak every day, the initiative will help tackle two of the biggest barriers to internet adoption – digital literacy and locally relevant content – supporting efforts to close Africa’s usage gap and expand meaningful connectivity across the continent.”
Dr. Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy of Nigeria said:“Artificial Intelligence will be a defining technology for Africa’s future, but its benefits must be built on our own languages, cultures and knowledge systems. Nigeria is proud to have taken the first step through N-ATLAS and is equally proud to see that vision evolve into the continental ATLAS Umoja AI.
“By working together with governments, researchers and ecosystem partners across Africa, we can build AI that is more inclusive, locally relevant and accessible to millions of people, while strengthening Africa’s digital sovereignty and creating new opportunities for innovation, education and economic growth.”
Silas Adekunle, Founder & CEO, Awarri added: “Awarri is proud to support The ATLAS Umoja AI and contribute lessons from N-ATLAS, which has demonstrated what is possible when African language data, local technical talent and practical AI applications are brought together. This is an important opportunity to help build AI systems that work for African languages and communities.”
Celina Lee, CEO & Co-Founder, Zindi concluded: “Africa’s AI future will be built by the people who best understand its languages, cultures and communities. Through ATLAS Umoja AI, we have an opportunity to empower local researchers, data scientists and developers to solve meaningful challenges, strengthen national AI capabilities and ensure African language AI is developed by Africans, for Africans.”
Alongside the launch of ATLAS Umoja AI, the GSMA continued discussions with policymakers at the ATU Conference on future-ready regulatory frameworks, including satellite connectivity, spectrum policy and technology-neutral licensing.
Drawing on the GSMA Satellite Regulatory Playbook, discussions explored how modern regulation can encourage investment, expand meaningful connectivity and support the ambitions of the Abuja Declaration.
Together, the Abuja Declaration, ATLAS Umoja and continued collaboration between governments, regulators and industry represent an important step towards expanding meaningful connectivity, accelerating digital inclusion and supporting Africa’s digital transformation.
Samsung has unveiled its most advanced foldable smartphone lineup yet, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8, and Galaxy Z Flip8. The tech conglomerate now sets a new benchmark for premium mobile innovation.
Konga
Nigerian customers can now pre-order the new devices on Konga, Samsung’s trusted e-commerce partner, and stand a chance to receive Samsung gift items worth up to ₦1 million, making this one of the most rewarding smartphone launches of the year.
Designed for productivity, creativity, and everyday convenience, the new Galaxy Z series introduces Samsung’s most refined foldable experience to date.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra combines an expansive display with AI-powered productivity, a powerful 200MP camera, an ultra-thin design, and enhanced durability for users who demand the very best.
The Galaxy Z Fold8 delivers immersive entertainment and seamless multitasking in a lighter, wider form factor, while the Galaxy Z Flip8 elevates self-expression with its sleek design, smarter FlexWindow, and intelligent Galaxy AI features for effortless interaction on the go. Powered by Samsung’s latest AI experiences, the new devices redefine how users create, communicate, and stay productive.
The availability of the new Galaxy Z Fold8 series on Konga further reinforces the long-standing partnership between Samsung and Konga, built on trust, authenticity, and a shared commitment to delivering genuine technology to Nigerian consumers. Through Samsung’s official store on Konga, customers are assured of authentic products, reliable after-sales support, and a seamless shopping experience.
The pre-order offer is available for a limited period. To be one of those who get to experience the new device, tech enthusiasts are encouraged to visit Konga’s Samsung Official Store to reserve their preferred Galaxy Z Fold8 or Z Flip8 device and qualify for exclusive Samsung gifts worth up to ₦1 million, while stocks last.
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