Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) show how much the country’s mobile market has changed in recent years. In May 2023, 2G accounted for 58.36 per cent of reported mobile connections, while 4G represented 25.06 per cent and 5G just 0.12 per cent.
By August 2026, 4G had become the leading technology, accounting for 54.77 per cent of connections, while 2G had dropped to 36.05 per cent. Although 5G adoption increased to 4.92 per cent, the figures show that the technology is still far from becoming widely accessible.
Kingsley Uwazie, Chief Technology Officer of NATCOM Development and Investment Limited, which operates as NTEL, said Nigerians were eager to consume more data but faced significant difficulties accessing 5G services.
“The 5G ecosystem is in its maturity phase. It has been proven that there is an appetite. Nigerians have an appetite to consume data. But there is a barrier to acquiring the devices and using the technology,” he said.
Expensive Smartphones Remain a Major Obstacle
One of the biggest challenges facing 5G adoption is the cost of smartphones capable of connecting to the network. For many Nigerians already struggling with rising living expenses, upgrading to a compatible device is an additional financial burden.
Uwazie said 5G technology remained expensive to deploy and use, despite efforts by some telecommunications operators to make compatible phones more affordable.
“5G, at the moment, is not a cheap technology to deploy or to own. The cost of 5G devices has been high,” he said.
He pointed to MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria as operators offering subsidies on selected devices. According to him, a smartphone that costs around ₦50,000 with a subsidy could sell for more than ₦200,000 without the discount.
The situation has become more difficult as smartphone prices continue to rise. Technology research firm Omdia reported that Nigeria’s smartphone market contracted by 11 per cent in the second quarter of 2026.
Increasing memory chip costs, partly driven by growing demand from artificial intelligence data centres, have added to the pressure on smartphone manufacturers and consumers.
Across Africa, shipments of smartphones priced below $100 fell by 34 per cent year on year during the same quarter.
A market assessment published by technology platform Condia also found that prices of selected Tecno, Infinix, Oppo and itel smartphones increased between January and June 2026. The midpoint price of the itel S Series Ultra rose from approximately ₦263,500 to ₦316,400, while the Infinix Zero Series increased from about ₦550,000 to ₦637,500.
Omdia warned in June that Nigerian smartphone prices could rise by another 15 to 30 per cent during the remainder of 2026 if component costs continued to climb.
Further increases could discourage consumers from replacing older phones, making it harder for telecommunications companies to attract more 5G subscribers.
Network Coverage Remains Uneven
Even Nigerians who can afford 5G smartphones may not enjoy consistent access to the network. Coverage varies considerably by location, and the presence of 5G services in a city does not mean every neighbourhood is connected.
When MTN announced its 5G pilot in 2023, it identified Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, Owerri and Maiduguri as intended launch locations, subject to coverage availability. Airtel also began its rollout in selected areas of Lagos, Ogun, Rivers and the Federal Capital Territory.
However, access remains inconsistent in some locations.
A report published in December 2025, based on Ookla analysis, estimated Lagos’s average 5G coverage gap at 55.4 per cent. The figure represented the proportion of measured time when compatible devices could not connect to 5G. The reported gaps were approximately 50 per cent for MTN and 77 per cent for Airtel.
In Abuja, the average gap stood at 47.4 per cent.
These figures do not represent the percentage of land without 5G coverage. Rather, they illustrate how frequently users may be unable to access the network, even in major urban centres.
High Operating Costs Slow Network Expansion
The cost of building and maintaining 5G infrastructure is another major challenge for operators. Expanding coverage requires substantial investment in telecommunications equipment, electricity supply and transmission systems.
Uwazie estimated that operating a telecommunications site in Nigeria could cost between $2,000 and $3,000 monthly, compared with about $300 in China and $500 in India. He attributed much of the difference to power and transmission expenses.
He explained that deploying 5G in an area with very few compatible devices could make it difficult for operators to recover their investment.
“If you deploy 5G in areas where only two people have 5G enabled phones, it means those two people can’t cater for the operating expenditure required to deploy 5G. The operating expenditure of running mobile networks in Nigeria is extremely high. It is a combination of both power and transmission, keeping that site up,” he said.
This creates a difficult situation for telecommunications companies. Where demand is low, operators may be reluctant to invest heavily in expanding coverage. Yet without wider coverage and more affordable devices, the number of potential subscribers may remain limited.
Affordable Internet Access Remains a Concern
The slow adoption of 5G also highlights Nigeria’s wider digital inclusion challenges.
According to the GSMA’s smartphone adoption report, only 27 per cent of Nigeria’s population owned a smartphone in 2024, while the mobile internet usage gap remained close to 60 per cent.
In April 2026, the NCC said it was exploring ways to improve access to cheaper smartphones. Nigeria was also selected for pilot initiatives coordinated by the GSMA’s Handset Affordability Coalition, which aims to expand access to affordable 4G smartphones.
However, rising global component costs could make these efforts more difficult.
Affordable smartphones and reliable internet access are increasingly important for mobile banking, online education, digital commerce and employment. Expanding network infrastructure alone will not be enough if millions of people cannot afford devices that allow them to benefit from it.
For 5G to reach a larger share of Nigeria’s population, smartphone prices must become more affordable, network coverage must improve and operators need sustainable ways to reduce deployment and operating costs.
Until these challenges are addressed, access to 5G is likely to remain concentrated among consumers who can afford compatible devices and live in areas with reliable coverage, leaving many Nigerians dependent on older mobile technologies.
