Despite persistent network instability across the grid, the race for improved internet speed is gaining serious ground.

New data shows that 5G penetration has climbed to 4.06 per cent, fuelled by a massive surge of 2.3 million new active telephone users in the country.

By implication, it means that as telcos scramble to stabilise infrastructure, the appetite for next-gen connectivity is clearly outpacing the reliability of the network itself.

According to the latest industry data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the surge in active telephone users reflected a dual trend: The continued recovery of the general voice and data market, and a tightening grip of 5G technology in urban economic hubs.

Specifically, the number of active telephone users grew from 182.2 million in January to 184.6 million in February.

The figure shows that some 7.49 million subscribers now use the 5G network in about three years and seven months since its commercial launch in August 2022.

While 5G still trails behind 4G (which holds over 53 per cent of the market) and legacy 2G networks, the move to 4.06 per cent is statistically significant.

Analysts suggest that the ‘early adopter’ phase is concluding, and the technology is beginning to penetrate the ‘early majority’ of corporate users and high-end consumers.

The growth is largely driven by three licensed operators. This includes MTN Nigeria, which boasts of the widest 5G coverage across over 15 cities in the country.

Airtel Nigeria is aggressively expanding its 5G Smart Box offerings and router-based home broadband and boasts of coverage in about 10 cities.

Despite the positive trajectory, the 5G Gap remains a reality for many Nigerians. Industry experts point to two primary bottlenecks. These are the device hurdles. The average cost of a 5G-enabled smartphone remains high relative to the national minimum wage. While shipments of 5G devices to Africa grew by 25 per cent last year, they are still viewed as premium products.

There is also infrastructure concentration. Telecom expert, Kehinde Aluko, said the current 5G signals are heavily concentrated in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano. He said large swaths of the country remain ‘5G blackspots,’ where even 5G-phone owners are forced to default to 4G or 3G speeds.

To bridge this gap, Nigerian telcos have reportedly committed over $1 billion in infrastructure investment for the 2025/2026 fiscal cycle. This capital is being funnelled into the deployment of over 2,800 new base stations, and the fibre-optic backbones required to handle the massive data throughput 5G offers.

As data consumption in Nigeria continues to skyrocket, climbing nearly 170 per cent over the last three years, the shift to 5G is no longer just about speed; it’s about capacity,” Aluko stated.