May 9, 2026
  • May 9, 2026
Breaking News
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Telcos slowly phase out 3G network as Nigeria accelerates 5G expansion
May 7, 2026

Telcos slowly phase out 3G network as Nigeria accelerates 5G expansion

By Upfrontdigital News 0 16 Views

By Favour Unukaso

INDICATIONS have emerged that Nigeria is gradually phasing out the legacy 3G technology, and pivots strategically towards 4G and 5G networks.

The latest review of the telecoms sector, especially in Q1 by Ookla on behalf of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) revealed a country rapidly clearing its digital “fast lanes,” ensuring millions of citizens gain access to faster, more reliable connectivity.

Specifically, the latest industry insight, released Thursday by NCC, showed that operators are retiring the 900MHz 3G band, particularly in rural states such as Sokoto, and reallocating resources to the 1800MHz and 2100MHz 4G bands. These “highways” balance speed and coverage, unlocking essential services like e‑learning and digital payments for communities previously constrained by slower networks.

Ookla disclosed that Airtel and MTN have spearheaded this migration, drastically reducing reliance on outdated spectrum and setting the pace for nationwide modernization.

NCC building, Abuja

Checks showed that as of Q1, 4G has 53.76 penetration; 2G, 36.74 per cent; 3G, 5.30 per cent and 5G, 4.20 per cent. However, during a meeting in Lagos, the NCC EVC, Dr Aminu Maida in Lagos, puts 5G penetration in the country at 14 per cent, and usage at five per cent.

According to the document, at the heart of Nigeria’s next‑generation connectivity is the n77 (3.5 GHz) band. Dubbed the “fast lane,” it is delivering speeds up to 10 times faster than average 4G. Since late 2025, 5G test volumes have surged by 44 per cent, with Airtel and MTN leading adoption.    In urban centers such as Lagos and Abuja, download speeds now exceed 250Mbps, redefining the digital experience for work, gaming, and streaming. The NCC emphasized that consumers must adopt devices compatible with the n77 band to fully benefit from this revolution.

While Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory continue to set benchmarks for performance, rural states remain in transition. Sokoto and Imo still show higher reliance on 3G, limiting access to modern applications. However, the ongoing migration to 4G is closing this gap, with significant progress already visible. The NCC framed this as a matter of digital equity, ensuring that connectivity is not a privilege of urban hubs but a national right.

Maida, NCC EVC

For everyday tasks such as payments, social media, and calls, 4G remains the national standard. But for high‑intensity activities like remote work and gaming, 5G is the rocket engine. The report highlighted how improved spectrum utilization is directly empowering citizens—whether enabling students in rural areas to access online classes or supporting entrepreneurs with seamless digital transactions.

According to the Ookla document, the NCC’s roadmap is clear: retire the past, optimize the present, and accelerate into the future. The report noted that in Sokoto, for instance, MTN’s reliance on 3G dropped from 80 per cent in September 2025 to just 29 per cent by February 2026. Airtel recorded a similar decline, from 71 per cent to 25 per cent in the same period. These figures underscored the rapid pace of modernization and the determination of operators to deliver world‑class connectivity.

By the report, Nigeria’s spectrum evolution is more than a technical upgrade, but a social and economic catalyst. By expanding 4G and 5G coverage, Ookla noted that the country is laying the foundation for digital inclusion, innovation, and growth.

MEANWHILE, Nigeria’s Internet ecosystem received a major international boost as the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) announced that China Mobile International Limited (CMI) has officially joined its peering fabric, a move expected to strengthen Nigeria’s position as a regional hub for global data traffic and digital interconnection in West Africa.

The move integrates CMI, the international subsidiary of China Mobile Limited, widely regarded as the world’s largest mobile operator by subscriber base, into Nigeria’s growing local interconnection ecosystem.

Accordingly, CMI connection to the IXPN, will enable it exchange Internet traffic locally with Nigerian networks reducing reliance on costly international transit routes, and improving the efficiency of data exchange within the country.

The announcement comes as IXPN continues its rapid expansion across Africa’s digital infrastructure landscape.

According to IXPN, the onboarding of CMI is a landmark moment for Nigeria’s Internet ecosystem, noting that the partnership is expected to improve connectivity performance for enterprises, service providers, and Internet users nationwide.

“CMI’s presence on the IXPN fabric means that Nigerian businesses, enterprises, and Internet users stand to benefit from enhanced connectivity, faster traffic exchange, and access to a truly global telecommunications network, right here, locally,” IXPN stated.

The exchange point said localizing Internet traffic remains critical to improving Nigeria’s digital sovereignty by ensuring that more locally generated data stays within the country. The model also helps reduce operational costs for Internet service providers, while improving the performance of latency-sensitive services such as cloud computing, video conferencing, streaming platforms and AI-driven applications.           

  BroadbandFeatured PostsLatest NewsTelecomsTop Stories
Next Post

How Nigerians search is changing — and why it matters for our businesses

May 7, 2026 0
Related Posts
May 8, 2026

Airtel Africa posts $813m profit as subscribers scale to 183m

May 8, 2026

Lagos telecom infrastructure cleanup begins May 12

May 7, 2026

Urban centres face more telephone service congestions as digital divide narrows

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *