India’s remarkable 5G rollout achieving near-nationwide coverage and nearly 300 million users in under 30 months could serve as a blueprint for Nigeria, where 5G adoption remains sluggish despite launching around the same time.
India’s 5G Boom: Speed and Scale
In October 2022, India’s top telecom operators, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, launched 5G in select cities after aggressive spectrum auctions. By February 2025, the network had expanded to 99.6% of India’s districts, supported by 469,000 5G base stations, according to the government.
Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, India’s Minister of State for Communications, called the rollout "one of the fastest in the world." Reliance Jio and Airtel reported a combined 290 million 5G users by the end of 2024 far exceeding initial expectations.
Nigeria’s 5G Struggle: Slow Growth, Big Challenges
Nigeria also began 5G trials in 2019, with commercial services starting in 2022. However, as of January 2025, only 2.54% of mobile users (4.3 million) have adopted 5G, per NCC data. In contrast, 4G dominates with 47.2% (79.9 million users), while 2G still holds 41.63% (70.4 million users)—a sign of Nigeria’s delayed digital transition.
Despite MTN and Mafab acquiring 5G licenses in 2021 (at $273.6 million each) and Airtel joining in 2022, coverage remains limited to just 30 of Nigeria’s 335 cities.
Key Roadblocks in Nigeria’s 5G Expansion
- Infrastructure & Investment Woes
- Telecom operators face rising costs due to naira depreciation, leading to financial losses.
- Fiber vandalism cost the industry N5 billion in repairs in 2024 alone, with 2,500 cuts recorded.
Regulatory Hurdles
Right of Way (RoW) fees vary wildly, some states charge N5,000 per linear meter, while only 11 states have waived fees or charge as low as N1 per meter.
Over 45 levies and taxes imposed on telcos stifle expansion, says ALTON Chairman Gbenga Adebayo.
Urban-Rural Divide
5G remains concentrated in cities, leaving rural areas underserved.
Can Nigeria Replicate India’s Success?
Experts argue that better policies and increased investment could accelerate Nigeria’s 5G growth. Telecom analyst Kehinde Aluko urged Airtel Africa—a subsidiary of India’s Bharti Airtel—to leverage its global expertise and invest more aggressively in Nigeria.
The Way Forward:
- Government intervention to standardize RoW fees and reduce taxes.
- Private sector commitment to expand infrastructure beyond urban centers.
- Consumer awareness to drive 5G adoption over older, cheaper 2G/3G networks.
Without decisive action, Nigeria risks falling further behind in the global 5G race—while India’s success proves rapid progress is possible with the right strategy.
