Report reveals Nigeria is struggling with scaling up 5G connectivity

A recent report released by Ericsson Mobility Report reveals that Nigeria is still struggling to make a significant record of 5G network usage to be part of other 5G-using nations as global 5G connectivity reaches 20 per cent.

The report highlights that globally about 20 per cent of the population is currently connected to 5G, while 80 per cent is yet to use the technology.

According to the report, the top 5G markets in the world account for 15 per cent of the connectivity, adding that there has been a positive revenue growth trend since the beginning of 2020 that correlates well with the increasing 5G subscription penetration in these markets.

The report stated that over the past five years, global data consumption had increased by over 50 per cent per year or more than eight times over the entire period. Citing that, “This is an indicator of mobile services’ importance in people’s lives. The data growth rate in the top 20 5G markets largely follows the average global growth rate.

This means that the top 20 5G markets already have very high data consumption and can continue with the same growth rate as markets with lower consumption.

However, as the top 20 5G markets started to benefit from the capabilities of 5G, the two curves began to diverge,” the report noted.

“All of the top 20 5G markets have 5G penetration of more than 15 per cent, with average penetration above 20 per cent. The most mature market even reaches a 5G subscription penetration close to 40 per cent – an impressive figure compared to the global average of around 10 per cent,” it said. Meanwhile, the number of 5G subscribers in Nigeria and Ethiopia has been projected to reach 13.7 million by 2025.

Speaking on the potentiality of Nigeria, the Head of Spectrum Admission at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Abraham Oshadami, said Nigeria had more infrastructure for the 5G than any other country in Africa.

“Nigeria is taking the lead in Africa in making wireless infrastructure and other infrastructures available to drive 5G digital economy. In addition, we are now deploying low earth orbit, which is more powerful and ubiquitous than the Satellite Space X,” he said.