MTN, MAFAB To Face Stiffer Competition As Airtel Begins 5G Service

Nigeria’s 5G market will see a new entrant, Airtel Nigeria launch its 5G service in June, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission.

Airtel received its licence in December 2022 to deploy 5G services after paying $316.7 million for the spectrum.

In December 2021, MTN and MAFAB Communications were issued the 5G licence by the regulator, NCC.

Although the 5G is yet to be popular in Africa’s most populous nation, the innovation has triggered more opportunities for the sector as well as an avenue to contribute to Nigeria’s GDP.

Nigeria’s telecommunications and Information Services sector has, in the first quarter 2023, contributed N2.508 trillion in terms of financial value, rising by 14.13 per cent.

The number of phone subscribers as at April 2023, stood at 223.6 million, scoring a teledensity of 117 per cent. Internet subscribers for the same period were 157 million while Broadband subscriptions stood at 92 Million, translating to 48 per cent.

The NCC said, “One of the key highlights of the telecom industry performance within the period was the generation of $820.8 million for the federal government from 5G spectrum licences fees paid by three eventual winning operators, MTN, MAFAB and Airtel.

“Following the issuance of the licences in December 2021 to MTN and MAFAB, both companies have launched 5G services. Airtel, which received its licence in December 2022, is set to launch services this month, June 2023.

“Another major development in the sector was the launch of Starlinks broadband services, a satellite-based wireless broadband services with potential nationwide coverage. This followed the issuance of licence to Elon Musk-owned SpaceX by the Commission. The services are now available in different parts of the country.”