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Telecom

NCC Reports Sluggish Growth in 5G Penetration, 3 Years after Adoption

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A recent industry report released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has revealed that 5G penetration grew from 0.12 per cent in May 2023 to 1.11 per cent in January 2024.

NCC Reports Sluggish Growth in 5G Penetration, 3 Years after Adoption

In telecommunications, 5G is the fifth-generation technology standard for cellular networks, which cellular phone companies began deploying worldwide in 2019, and is the successor to 4G technology that provides connectivity to most current mobile phones.

Since licensing by the NCC, three mobile network operators, MTN, Airtel, and Mafab Communications have rolled out 5G in Nigeria.

The network coverage which has seen massive investment by telecom operators closed the year 2023 with an adoption rate of 1.04 per cent in December, according to the Whistler newspaper.

But the growth was sluggish in January at 1.11 per cent.

In December 2021, MTN Nigeria and Mafab Nigeria Communications Limited emerged winners of a 5G auction after about eight hours and 11 rounds of bidding.

A year later, Airtel emerged as the sole winner of the second phase of the 5G auction. MTN deployed its 5G in Lagos and six other cities in August 2022.

In 2023, Airtel deployed 5G in Lagos, FCT, Ogun and Rivers. For MAFAB, the NCC had said upon the issuance of the 5G licence, Mafab publicly launched its services in Abuja on 24 January, 2023, and in Lagos on 26 January, 2023.

Mafab services were targeted at six cities – Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and Kaduna.

However, the industry report released by the regulator shows that 5G is the least adopted by subscribers utilising telecommunications services per the various mobile phone generations currently deployed in Nigeria.

According to the NCC, the 2G network is the most adopted at 57.78 per cent, 4G network adoption is at 31.75 per cent, 3G is 9.36 per cent while the 5G settled at 1.11 per cent as of the review month.

Asides the low 5G adoption, the industry saw a plunge in the number of active lines from 224,713,710 in December 2023 to 218,400,965 in December 2024 resulting in the fall of teledensity from 103.66 per cent to 100.75 per cent in January.

The number of active internet service subscribers also fell from 163,838,439 in December last year to 161,977,883 in January 2024.

Consequently, broadband subscriptions in Nigeria fell from 43.71 per cent in December to 42.53 per cent, the report noted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

Telecom

Lebara, New Operator Enters Nigerian Telecom Arena, Sells Minutes, Not Airtime

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Lebara Nigeria has officially stepped into Nigeria’s bustling telecom market with the introduction of its unique 0724 number series—a bold move that promises fresh competition and a more transparent user experience.

Lebara, New Operator Enters Nigerian Telecom Arena, Sells Minutes, Not Airtime

Leveraging its status as a Tier 5 Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), the company is positioning itself not just as another telecom player but as a catalyst for change, offering innovative packages built on fairness and clarity.

From day one, Lebara Nigeria has been ready to compete with industry giants like MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile, having secured full interconnectivity with all of them.

This critical footprint ensures that its voice and data services are accessible and of high quality nationwide.

Akin Adesokan, Lebara’s chief operating officer, highlighted the company’s strategic intent: “Our readiness with the 0724 series and full interconnect setup underscores our unwavering commitment to seamless integration, customer freedom, and market inclusivity.” Indeed, the company has taken considerable steps to ensure regulatory compliance and operational strength, leveraging its global expertise as an MVNO and its freshly minted licence under the NCC’s highest tier.

What truly differentiates Lebara’s offering is its unconventional pricing model. Eschewing traditional prepaid airtime, it sells voice bundles and data packages that align with real usage, not ambiguous credit deductions. “You buy minutes, not airtime. If your call ends in 30 seconds, you still have 99 minutes and 30 seconds left. That’s the kind of clarity and control we are bringing to Nigerian telecoms,” explained Samuel Alabi, head of Corporate Communications.

This clarity responds to a long-standing frustration among Nigerians, where ₦100 airtime often disappears quickly and opaquely. Lebara’s minutes-based system offers predictability and transparency—a refreshing contrast in a market hungry for accountability.

Lebara’s entrance is more than a marketing exercise; it’s a strategic diversification of Nigeria’s mobile ecosystem.

With over 220 million active mobile lines, Nigeria is Africa’s biggest telecom consumer.

The NCC’s move to licence 41 MVNOs, including Lebara, illustrates a policy shift aimed at introducing more competition and improving service quality. Technically agile and digitally native, Lebara leverages existing network infrastructure, augmented by automated systems—a lean operation compared to the capital-intensive MNO model.

he status quo. With strategic execution and continued regulatory support, this could mark the beginning of a new chapter: one where Nigerians no longer need to ask, “Can you hear me now?” but instead say, “Yes—and I know exactly what it cost.”

 


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PIN Pushes for Equitable Digital Governance at World Internet Forum

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As the 20th Global Internet Governance Forum (IGF) opens in Lillestrøm, Norway, leading pan-African social enterprise Paradigm Initiative (PIN) is championing grassroots voices in global digital policy discussions.

Running from June 23–27 under the theme “Building Digital Governance Together,” the IGF unites stakeholders from civil society, governments, the private sector, and technical communities to tackle pressing digital issues such as access, AI ethics, surveillance, and content moderation.

The discussions also contribute to the upcoming World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+20 review in December 2025.

PIN’s participation comes at a time when digital governance decisions are increasingly shaping the future of billions. “It is essential that grassroots solutions are heard,” said ‘Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of PIN. “At PIN, we believe that meaningful digital inclusion requires more than just connectivity.

“It demands inclusive, progressive and sustainable policies and frameworks built taking the realities of grassroots stakeholders into consideration.”

Representing PIN at IGF 2025 are Sesan, Chief Operating Officer Nnenna Paul-Ugochukwu, and Senior Manager for Partnerships and Engagements Thobekile Matimbe. They will engage in strategic sessions on topics like connectivity in excluded communities, AI accountability in content moderation, and human rights in emerging tech.

The team will also participate in coordination meetings with partners including Meta, UNESCO, the Freedom Online Coalition, and GPD.

PIN’s presence at the forum underscores its ongoing mission to embed digital rights within grassroots realities and to ensure that global internet governance frameworks are inclusive, accountable, and responsive to the needs of marginalised communities.


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Remmy Nweke’s “The Village Priest” Garners High Praise from Tech Community

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Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) stakeholders have applauded the latest in bookshelf by Remmy Nweke, the Village Priest, which was presented at the recently concluded Nigeria DigitalSENSE Africa Forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) in Lagos.

The presentation and review of the book, “The Village Priest” by Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, largely described as a powerful narrative explored the intersection of tradition and innovation in rural Igboland, received widespread acclaim, with its themes resonating deeply with the event’s focus on ‘Global Digital Compact: Opportunities for Multi-stakeholders in Nigeria.’

The highly anticipated review was delivered by Mr. ‘Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a renowned social entrepreneur and advocate for digital rights and inclusion in Africa.

Sesan lauded Nweke’s prose fiction for its insightful portrayal of “innovative technology adaptation transforming rural communities,” describing it as “a careful work of cultural documentation, offering not just a story but a chronicle—a record of transition that many rural and even urban African communities continue to live through.”

Sesan’s review highlighted the book’s central character, Ogboo AniEze, the revered chief priest of Ilimefo, whose life is dedicated to preserving his village’s customs. The narrative unfolds as “the village and its people, their traditional practices and strong cultural heritage at the crossroads!” with the arrival of GSM technology—a “strange and mysterious piece of technology” that initially challenges Ogboo AniEze’s traditional views.

The review detailed the chief priest’s journey of reconciliation, from initial fear of GSM eroding cultural heritage to a profound understanding that the technology “also offered opportunities for growth, development, and connection with the wider world.” This transformation leads to a new era of harmony in Ilimefo, where “tradition and modernity coexisted in balance.” The book beautifully illustrates how mobile phones become “a powerful tool for preserving the village’s cultural heritage” and how interfaith collaboration, particularly with Catholic priest Fada Ekie, fosters a “fusion of traditions” and a “new spiritual identity.”

“It teaches us, without preaching,” Sesan concluded, “that true innovation is not in abandoning our roots, but in strengthening them with new tools.”

This year’s Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum, was presided over by Dr. Jimson Olufuye, former President of the Information Technology (Industry) Association of Nigeria and a member of the UN Secretary-General’s IGF Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG), served as a crucial platform for discussing the future of digital governance.

Olufuye also commended the author, Nweke for his perseverance in serving the ICT industry as well as endearing documentation of the sector.

For the Managing Director, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria, Mr. Muhammed Rudman, the latest book by Nweke depicts the gift of in depth creativity and urged him on, despite the challenges the sectorial environment throws at industry players.

Organized by ITREALMS Media and hosted under DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA), an At-Large Structure certified by ICANN, the forum brought together key partners including the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria, Internet Society Nigeria chapter, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), and ICANN.

The NDSF series, running since 2009, continues to “motivate public discourse and create awareness on the technological cum business benefits of rapidly advancing technologies capable of impacting on Internet Governance, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and domain name industry, access and affordability,” while offering a vital platform for industry networking.

The event not only celebrated the literary achievement of Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, a multiple award-winning journalist, but also reinforced the commitment of ICT stakeholders to fostering digital inclusion and innovation across Nigeria.


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