5G coverage at 11.8% is low, despite extensive coverage of older networks

Key takeaways

  • 2G remains the dominant network, covering 94.14% of Nigeria’s population, ensuring basic connectivity across the country.
  • 3G has strong penetration at 89.42%, serving as a bridge between legacy and modern networks.
  • 4G coverage reaches 84.19%, reflecting growing adoption but still lagging behind older technologies.
  • 5G penetration is extremely low at just 11.80%, indicating that its rollout is still in its infancy and mostly limited to urban areas.
  • The high coverage of older networks suggests continued reliance on legacy infrastructure, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

Nigeria’s mobile network coverage remains dominated by 2G, 3G, and 4G technologies, with each covering over 80% of the population. While 4G has seen increased adoption, it still trails behind older networks. Meanwhile, 5G penetration is at just 11.80%, highlighting the slow pace of its rollout and the significant infrastructural gaps that need to be addressed.

Source:

Nigerian Communications Commission

Period:

2023
HTML code to embed chart
Want a bespoke report?
Reach out
Tags
Related Insights

At 18.91mb/sec, Nigeria ranks 102nd among 111 countries, making it the tenth among countries with the worst mobile download speed
  • With a median mobile download speed of 441.89 Mbps, the UAE is in a league of its own, setting a high benchmark for digital infrastructure globally.
  • At just 18.91 Mbps, Nigeria ranks 102nd, only narrowly ahead of countries like Ecuador and Libya. This means the digital experience for most Nigerians is significantly slower than the global average.
  • The difference between the fastest and slowest countries spans over 400 Mbps, showing a growing divide in how nations can participate in digital economies.
  • Countries like Denmark, South Korea, Norway, and the Netherlands continue to show strong mobile connection.
  • It's notable that Qatar and Kuwait, alongside the UAE, are not just energy-rich but also leaders in mobile connectivity.
  • Several African nations, Nigeria, Libya, and Mozambique, feature among the slowest, highlighting the urgent need for investment in faster, more reliable mobile networks across the continent.

Eastern Africa has the least internet adoption worldwide with just 29% adoption rate
  • With a 98% adoption rate, Northern Europe leads the world in digital inclusion.
  • Eastern Africa (29%), Middle Africa (34%), and Western Africa (43%) have the lowest adoption rates.
  • Southern and Eastern Europe boast over 90% adoption, proving that even outside the wealthiest nations, high connectivity is achievable.
  • While Eastern Asia (79%) and South-Eastern Asia (78%) show strong progress, Southern Asia lags behind at 54%.
  • Oceania maintains a solid 78% adoption rate, quietly outperforming many regions.
  • With 70% adoption, the Caribbean outperforms parts of Asia and Africa.

The number of smartphone handsets globally has increased by 4.43B in the last 10 years
  • From 2.99B in 2015 to 7.42B in January 2025, the world has added more than 4.4 billion smartphone devices in a decade.
  • Annual growth dropped from a high of 23.1% in 2016 to 3.6% in 2025, a clear sign of global market saturation.
  • During 2016-2018, the world added nearly 2 billion new smartphones.
  • Since 2020, annual growth has been under 6%.
  • Most of the future growth will come from device upgrades or multiple device ownership, not necessarily new smartphone users.

From 4.3M to 5.6B, the number of individuals using the internet globally since the creation of the first website has risen by over 130,000%
  • Between 1995 and 2000, internet users jumped from 39.4 million to 394 million, a 900% leap that marked the beginning of the digital era.
  • Just 14 years after the first website, over 1 billion people were online, showing how quickly the internet became essential.
  • Between 2010 and 2015, internet usage grew by 54.5%, slower than before but still powerful, especially in developing regions coming online.
  • With 5.6 billion users in January 2025, most of the world is now online, and future growth will be more about improving access, speed, and quality than just connecting new people.
  • Each phase had its catalyst. In the 1990s, it was websites and email. The 2000s brought broadband and Google. In the 2010s, it was smartphones. Now, it's AI, 5G, and IoT that are quietly shaping the future of internet use.

An impressive 93% of internet users worldwide engage with social media
  • Social media is not optional; it’s universal, with 93% usage globally.
  • Traditional broadcast TV still sees 89.7% usage, and streaming TV (77.1%) isn’t far behind.
  • Individuals consume online news more than physical newspapers.
  • 66.4% still tune in to radio, showing that audio content still has a loyal base.
  • At 65.3% usage, platforms like Spotify and Apple Music are not just for entertainment; they’re part of people’s routines.
  • With 63.7% global engagement, podcasts are now a core part of modern media usage.

MTN Nigeria’s tax bill bounced back in 2024 after a 76% drop in 2023
Key Takeaways:
  • MTN Nigeria's income tax payments consistently rose from ₦75.66 billion in 2018 to ₦170.1 billion in 2022.
  • In 2023, there was a significant drop in the payments, which fell to ₦40.87 billion, the lowest in the period under review.
  • In 2024, MTN Nigeria saw its income tax jump by 267% from 2023's figure.
  • The company achieved its peak income tax payment of ₦170.1 billion in 2022.
  • The income tax for MTN in 2023 dropped by ~76% due to substantial forex loss from naira devaluation.

POPULAR TOPICS
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Get periodic updates about the African startup space, access to our reports, among others.
Subscribe Here
Subscription Form

A product of Techpoint Africa. All rights reserved