MTN Nigeria yesterday rolled out the fifth generation (5G) mobile network across 190 sites making it the first of telecommunication service provider to do so in Nigeria.
MTN won the auction for the 3.5GHz 5G spectrum alongside Mafab Communications in December 2021 and switched on the 5G network in 190 sites across the country.
Nigeria’s telecommunications industry regulator, the National Communications Commission (NCC), after receiving a $273.6 million licence fee from both companies in February, set August 24 as the deadline to begin the roll-out of the network across the country.
With this move, Nigeria joins South Africa and Kenya in the 5G race, according to reports.
Mafab has been granted a 5-month extension to begin its own roll-out, MTN is expected to increase the number of 5G sites it operates to 600 by October.
MTN had began 5G network trials in 2019 in partnership with Huawei, ZTE, and Ericsson. Mobile phone users will only be able to access the network if their phone makers deliver the update required to allow them access.
Daily Trust learnt that some phone users may begin enjoying the service in a week’s time while it could take to October for others to get the update.