Nigeria 5G Infrastructure Lags Behind Device Adoption in Major Cities

Urban Centers Outperform Rural Network Coverage

Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory lead Nigeria in network performance, scoring 40-50% above the national average. Therefore, most rural areas remain dependent on older 2G and 3G network technologies. Moreover, this imbalance continues limiting digital inclusion and economic opportunity outside major cities. Consequently, the infrastructure gap creates distinct connectivity experiences between urban and rural populations.

MTN Nigeria emerged as the clear performance leader consistently delivering the highest download and upload speeds. Meanwhile, the operator demonstrated strong latency and jitter results across testing metrics. Additionally, Airtel followed closely in download performance but continues struggling with latency issues. Therefore, Glo and 9mobile lagged behind with the latter registering the lowest overall quality of service due to slow 4G rollout and network stability challenges.

Regulatory Response Targets Infrastructure Expansion

The Nigerian Communications Commission reaffirmed its commitment to driving modernization and equitable access across the country. Therefore, the regulator pledged to accelerate 4G and 5G expansion, particularly in underserved regions. Moreover, improving latency, reducing jitter, and extending next-generation coverage are crucial to bridging the growing digital divide. Consequently, regulatory priorities focus on infrastructure development supporting broader population access.

Industry experts view the situation as both a warning and an opportunity for telecommunications operators. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of 5G-ready devices are already active in the Nigerian market. Therefore, the first operators to close the coverage gap could gain a decisive lead in Nigeria’s next phase of telecom competition through expanded infrastructure deployment and improved network quality.