In this analysis YEMISI IZUORA, chronicles the sociology-economic benefits of the 5G technology and the Nigerian Communication Communications pro-activeness in accelerating its deployment.
The National Policy on Fifth Generation (5G) Networks for Nigeria’s Digital Economy began with approvals for 5G trials in November 2019 although with significant resistance.
The National Policy includes a deployment plan to ensure that major cities across the country benefit from 5G technologies. It also seeks to make 5G a major driver of our economy, a catalyst for smart cities in the country and a platform for the creation of jobs that support our digital economy.
The World Economic Forum, WEF, in collaboration with PwC, provided a white paper detailing benefits of transitioning into the new technology.
The white paper explains that the transition to 5G networks can only be achieved when all stakeholders – citizens, the private sector and government – collaborate to effectively address these questions.
The insights and recommendations in the White Paper aims at paving the way towards accelerating a sustainable and inclusive transition to 5G networks globally, creating signi cant economic and social value.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communication Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta in the beginning was put under pressure to assure and reassure Nigerians of the safety of their health with the proposed 5G network.
Danbatta had appeared before the National Assembly joint committee on Communications to defend his commission’s 2022 budget proposal, during when he was confronted with the claims that the technology is not safe for the country.
The NCC’s response was sequel to the fear raised by some members of the joint committee about the fears being expressed by Nigerians over the deployment of the new technology.
Danbatta said the agency proposed to generate N632.39bn in 2022 from the sale of 5G spectrum to telecommunications firms, among other revenue sources.
He said, “The revenue would be realised through the sales of 5G spectrum, fines among others.
“Concerning the fears about the 5G spectrum, we share the same concern because it is justified and we have been sensitising Nigerians about the safety of the new technology. The 5G network we are going to launch has no harm.”
“Up till date, there is no credible evidence about the health hazard of the 5G technology, therefore it is safe.”
He added that the 5G Spectrum network was good for the economy and the nation’s social transformation.
He said, “There is no medical evidence from the World Health Organisation indicating any harmful effect of the spectrum on the health of the end users.
“NCC has enjoined Nigerians at the national level to disabuse their minds on the purported harmful effect of the spectrum and we will continue to sensitise them on the spectrum until everybody embraces the use of the 5G network,” he explained.
The Executive Vice Chairman also disclosed that with the launch of Computer Incidence Response Team, telecommunications networks across the country are secured against any form of cyber attack.
“Recently, not up to a month ago, the commission unveiled its computer incidence responsive which is a certified round protection for cyber attacks against telecommunication network.
“I am very very proud to bring this information to the knowledge of the general public, that all over the country our computers are secured from cyber attacks.
“This effort is going to be intensified in order to ensure the safety of our computers,” he noted.
According to the WEF, Significant economic and social value can be generated by enabling use cases activated by 5G. A market study estimates that $13.2 trillion in global economic value will be made possible by 2035, generating 22.3 million jobs in the 5G global value chain alone.
Industrial revolutions have been characterized by the transformation of physical infrastructure networks. Electricity powered the Second and Third Industrial Revolutions, as networks achieved economies of scale by connecting large plants over high-voltage transmission grids to local distribution networks reaching many users. The Fourth Industrial Revolution’s full potential will be fully realized through the wide-scale deployment of 5G communication networks.
5G will be critical because it will enable unprecedented levels of connectivity, upgrading 4G networks with ve key functional drivers: superfast broadband, ultra-reliable low latency communication, massive machine-type communications, high reliability/availability and ef cient energy usage. Together, these de ning features will transform many sectors, such as manufacturing, transportation, public services and health.
To ensure the widespread deployment of 5G networks, key stakeholders must address important questions. Government regulators and city managers must decide whether and when to invest in 5G infrastructure; mobile and telecommunications operators must evaluate suitable business models; and citizens must nd ways to realize the full bene ts this technology can bring while ensuring the preservation of the community’s rights. 
Repositioning Nigeria For 5G Transition
Oriental News Nigeria, reports that on September 19, 2022, Ericsson announced that it had successfully launched 5G in Nigeria. The 5G hardware and software provider collaborated with Mobile Telephone Network, MTN Nigeria to begin the first phase of deploying 5G technology throughout the country.
Phase one of the advancements started in certain parts of Lagos, one of the seven cities MTN aims to cover. Following this plan, MTN aims to roll out 5G networks throughout the country by the second half of 2022, to close the global digital divide.
Nigeria contributes to 29 per cent of Africa’s internet usage and holds 82 per cent of the continent’s telecom subscribers. This makes the country Africa’s most important information and communications technology (ICT) market.
According to a report by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms industry contributed up to 14.42 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP) of Nigeria in 2021.
The Commission accredits the growth to policy implementation increased demand and investment.
The Federal Government considers the ICT market as a key to the further development of the education, health care, agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
To prove its determination to accelerate the industry, Nigeria launched the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030) in November 2019 to further diversify the economy from dependence on oil and gas.
This program adheres to eight pillars including “Developmental Regulation, Digital Literacy & Skills, Solid Infrastructure, Service Infrastructure, Digital Services Development & Promotion, Soft Infrastructure, Digital Society & Emerging Technologies, Indigenous Content Development & Adoption.”
However, more than half of the Nigerian population does not have access to the internet. Those from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds have limited access to the internet, technology and ICT skills. This effectively creates a disparity in children’s education due to affordability, lack of infrastructure, perception of digital tech and already-present socioeconomic inequalities.
According to the Ericsson website, “5G is the fifth generation of cellular networks, enabling faster connectivity and data transference.” It can use the same radio frequencies that smartphones, Wi-Fi and satellite communications currently use but with additional functions. The implementation of 5G allows reliable, accessible and secure real-time interactions between devices as well as efficient data processing at a higher capacity.
Ericsson, explains that 5G is capable of aiding in economic recovery. Expectations determined that these new integrations in info and comms, wholesale/retail, public services and manufacturing will “contribute $13.2 trillion to the global economy by 2035.” Along with the internet of things (IoT) (how physical devices connect, exchange and store data), predictions stated that 5G digital technologies will reduce up to 15 per cent of global emissions by 2030.
Spectrum trading applies the concept of property rights to radio frequencies.
This ensures a more accessible market for users, increasing efficiency amongst businesses and companies which then invest back into new technology.
By relying on administrative assignments and increased accessibility, spectrum trading allows license holders to react to the rapidly changing markets. Some rights applied to license-protected spectrums include: how long it can be used within what geographical area and what it can be used for.
In Nigeria, spectrum trading is under the jurisdiction of the NCC. Rules that the NCC set in 2021 outline requirements for eligible sellers and buyers by setting minimum spectrum-holding times and having “sound regulatory and financial standing with the Commission.”
In December of 2021, telecommunication companies MTN and Mafab Communications paid around $550 million for the licenses to distribute 5G in Nigeria. The companies received a deadline of August 24, 2022 to launch the service.
Complications with licensing consequently postponed efforts to develop 5G in Nigeria. At the start of August 2022, MTN had already prepared around 127 sites for testing. However, Mafab was still waiting for the proper licensing needed to distribute (both spectrum and Universal Access Service Licence (UASL).
Other challenges that have impacted the ICT sector include taxation at federal, state and local governments, several regulatory bodies, right of way (RoW) charges and damage to existing infrastructure due to cable theft.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is the agency implementing a “digital economy policy” for Nigeria to enforce a sustainable digital ecosystem. The policies include improved data privacy and protection, increasing digital literacy for youths, enforcing reliable internet connections and integrating digital solutions for different industries.
Analysts argues that the successful establishment of 5G in Nigeria would improve healthcare, food security, manufacturing and IoT while the upgraded network would allow healthcare professionals to provide better diagnostics and treatment with hi-tech machinery (EX: EKG machines), digital record archives and telemedicine. This allows for more affordable and accessible healthcare services for those residing in remote low-density locations.
Applications related to IoT will reduce manufacturing costs and accelerate the development of smart cities/smart grids to enhance productivity and create new revenue streams. Smart agriculture/farming supported by 5G could enhance crop and livestock monitoring systems, allowing precise identification of areas that need water, are prone to disease or require pest management.
Plans are in the works to launch in Abuja, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Kano and Maiduguri to fulfill MTN’s first phase in bringing commercial 5G to Nigeria. The telecommunications company aims to provide full national 5G coverage by 2025.
Unfortunately, several Nigerians have been made to believe that the Fifth Generation (5G) is nothing but a dead zone targeted to consume the entire human race.
In other climes, most Nigerians are of the notion that the said network is just a politically-motivated missile meant to override the country’s socio-political space.
One inevitable fact we, as a people, must embrace is that technology has come to stay not just in Nigeria but across the global community, hence anyone who makes an effort to tag it a monster is really taking himself aback. Though it has done several wrongs, the rights emanating from its existence remain innumerable.
Unknown to them the 5th Generation mobile network is dedicated to handle a much larger role than that of the already existing ones such as the 1G, 2G, 3G and 4G networks, respectively.
The 5G was introduced to elevate the mobile network to not only interconnect people, but equally interconnect and control machines, objects, or any form of devices. It’s meant to deliver new levels of performance and efficiency that would empower new user experiences and connect new industries.
The 5G network is meant to deliver multi-Gbps peak rates or faster speeds, ultra-low latency, massive capacity, coupled with more uniform user experience. It’s imperative to note that the 1G was designed to solely deliver analog voice, 2G for digital voice, 3G necessitated mobile data, whilst the 4G ushered in the era of mobile internet, which we are currently enjoying.
In summary, 5G is a new kind of network in the telecom sector. It’s a platform for innovations that won’t only enhance today’s mobile broadband services, but equally expand mobile networks to support a vast diversity of devices and services, as well as connect new industries with improved performance, efficiency and cost.
5G is, therefore, an advanced wireless technology that has begun wide deployment since 2019. It’s worth noting that, as at October 2019, over four million Koreans had access to the 5G network.
It’s equally amazing to comprehend that China has for long deployed over 100,000 base stations in her quest for 5G wide usage. Survey revealed that about 150 million 5G mobile subscribers were expected in the Asian country by 2020.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), alongside various independent medical experts, have confirmed that the deployment of 5G networks leave no adverse health effects and are safe.
It’s noteworthy that several countries have already commenced the deployment of 5G and are currently enjoying its numerous benefits. Some of these countries include the United Kingdom, United States, and Korea Republic, to mention but a few. Even on the African Continent, countries like South Africa and Lesotho have equally keyed in.
Research have indicated that the 5G network offers significant advantages over the current technologies. Some of its advantages include, but not limited to, much lower latency, higher bandwidth, greater device density, longer battery life for nodes and greater network flexibility.
On the other hand, the 5G network operates in a high-frequency band of the wireless spectrum, between 28 and 60 Gigahertz (GHz). It’s expected to add unlicensed frequencies such as the 3.5 GHz to its list of new frequencies for mobile use. This means a lot of bandwidth would be available to the teeming users.
The aforementioned factor signifies that the 5G won’t only boost ease of communication among telecom subscribers but equally expand the economic band or prospect of any country involved.
Since the 5G mobile network will soon apparently dominate the global telecom sector, Nigeria as an entity must therefore not act in abeyance than to concentrate on how best an effective and efficient 5G can be duly introduced and utilized in the Nigerian space.
As Nigeria, likewise other developing countries, is still trial-testing her technologies and securities toward creating and launching a wholesome environment for the 5G network, she must acknowledge the key parameters that require apt consideration and attention.
At such a time like this, the authorities imbued with the powers to regulate and manage the telecom space must concentrate on the intricacies surrounding the technicalities and securities of the 5G network towards ensuring it isn’t hijacked by men of the underworlds.
They must, therefore, deploy the needed expertise and mechanism to avert any form of criminalities likely to emerge thereof. This very aspect, which is very crucial and inevitable, might require suitable legislation.
More so, it would interest – or perhaps shock you – to realize that over 70% of Nigerians are presently yet to key into the Fourth Generation (4G) Network, let alone the 5G. This is the reason the concerned bodies need to speed up action on awareness and sensitization.
5G has conspicuously come to stay, hence we must focus seriously on how to embrace and welcome it. But mind you, this cannot aptly be done if the needful isn’t duly considered.
Hence, as Nigeria’s government is making efforts to fully introduce the services of the 5G network into the country, all needed parameters must be duly considered.
Accelerating Deployment Strategies
Interestingly the second 5G licensee, MAFAB Communications has fullynlaunched the services. After flagging off the launch in Abuja, the telco rolled out services in Lagos and hopes to launch in about four other cities in Nigeria, subsequently.
The cities include Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and Kaduna, even as it promises to cover the whole of the country in no distant time.
Registered in 2020 and licensed by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC to provide telecom services, Mafab took the industry by surprise when it bidded for the 5G license in December 2021 alongside giants like MTN and Airtel and emerged one of the two winners.
Chairman of the company, Dr. Mushabu Bashir said his company has come out strongly to help put Nigeria in the global telecommunications map as a country to reckon with.
This is also as the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo Olu, said the launch marked another important milestone in the nation’s technology and telecommunications journey.
Both of them agreed that 5G technology is not just a mobile network but represents a new culture, and a new era of connectivity where billions of devices exchange data and instill intelligence in everyday life, creating new, intelligent systems that can help to develop new advanced manufacturing models.
Bashir said at the launch: “It is no secret that the countries that are able to provide their citizens with the latest network infrastructure which the 5G technology represents, will also be the ones that thrive in the coming years. They will be the ones that will stay competitive and the ones who will lead in innovation in addition to bringing socio-economic benefits to her citizens. And so, I can declare that with the 5G infrastructure, our future as a people and as a country is remarkably bright.
“I cannot forget to mention the prospect of increased job opportunities as a consequence of the value-chain benefits, the technology will generate and offer. This is the dream we have all gathered here to launch today.
“The 5G technology is not just a mobile network but represents a new culture, and a new era of connectivity where billions of devices exchange data and instill intelligence in our everyday life. It creates new, intelligent systems; and it can help to develop new advanced manufacturing models. I cannot forget to mention the prospect of increased job opportunities as a consequence of the value-chain benefits, the technology will generate and offer. This is the dream we have all gathered here to launch today. Mcom 5G launch marks the beginning of immense opportunities for the country to achieve infinite possibilities with a purpose of enabling connectivity for a digital future.
“As the second operator to launch 5G in Nigeria, Mcom expects more coverage for Nigerians and acceleration of broadband services.
“Putting things in proper perspective, we will play a major role in advancing new technologies that will push Nigeria beyond just being a consumer of technology but a country playing an active role in developing and implementing new technologies. It will also enable our country take its position as a global technology hub in Africa and the world at large. You may have heard it before, but it bears re-telling that the 5G network will usher into this country a wide array of business opportunities, wherein various business outfits will expand their frontiers with operational ease and speed, especially in the fields of education, medical sciences, engineering, security, businesses like the banking sector, SMEs, smart cities, transportation, entertainment and allow Nigerians meet the long-term goal of ensuring that everybody is connected” he added.
Welcoming guests at the launch, Gov Babajide Sanwolu said: “Though relatively new in the telecommunications industry, MAFAB Communications Limited has recorded a milestone achievement in the tech space through the launch of the 5G Network. I want to commend them for working hard to deliver this next level technology that out-guns the 4G network by a very wide margin and as such its capabilities exceed expectations. 
Airtel was in the vanguard of the rollout when it kicked off its fifth generation (5G) network launch in four locations, including Lagos, Ogun, Rivers and Abuja, telecommunications firm, Airtel, and targeting coverage of the entire country.
Airtel said for anyone to enjoy the innovative service, the subscriber must have a 5G compatible device and be within coverage area.
Speaking at the unveiling in Lagos, the service provider explained that it unveiled a non-standalone version, which it described has being far better in service delivery.
The operator promised its subscribers speed of up to 100 times faster than 4G, ultra-low latency and increased network capacity. The launch comes six months after Airtel purchased 100MHz of spectrum in the 3500MHz band and 2x5MHz of 2600MHz spectrum from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for $316.7 million.
Airtel, which has 60 million subscribers in Nigeria and 27 per cent market penetration, as of April, said it would use the purchase to improve the quality of its 4G network, and launch 5G. Furthermore, in May, the operator renewed its 3G licence, which will now expire in 2032.
Airtel Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, Carl Cruz, said the 5G revolution is a quantum leap from 4G, stressing that though the latter (4G) is remarkable, 5G opens a new vista.
According to him, life is definitely going to get more interesting and easier. “We can only be limited by the limit of our imagination,” he said.
The Airtel boss said with 5G, there would be more collaboration among stakeholders in the telecoms space to do new things with Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Internet of Things, Smart Cities, among others.
Cruz appreciated NCC, saying it enabled the country to join the first 60 countries to roll out the service.
He said: “Airtel Nigeria is proud to be an early mover with 5G technology, not just in Africa, but all over the world. Thanks to the commitment of the Nigerian government, 5G became a reality early in Nigeria, when only about 60 countries had access worldwide.
In addition to that, the frequency spectrum band allocated to 5G will make the experience more worthwhile for consumers.
“Our goal at Airtel Nigeria, therefore, is to make 5G accessible and widespread in the country.” Giving more insight into the company’s plan, the Chief Commercial Officer, Femi Oshinlaja, said to ensure more Nigerians have access to the technology, the firm is offering its router for N30,000, and has partnered with Samsung to deliver the Galaxy A14 model at a very affordable price.
He said though 5G is positioned to consume more data because it enables more speed and latency, “the rate and prices of data will remain the same.”
Also, MTN Nigeria’s 5G mobile network, which has been launched on a commercial basis, currently reaches a total of 13 cities across the country.
More than 700 5G sites have been rolled out in locations including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Owerri, Ibadan, Maiduguri, Abeokuta, Ife, Warri, Enugu, Ife and Ifo. The market leader is aiming to increase 5G coverage to 10 per cent of Nigerians by the end of the year and 40 per by 2025.
MTN currently has no plans to shut down its existing 2G and 3G networks and the fact that it is going to 5G does not mean it will not cater to the needs of the subscribers on the other technology.
The firm promises to consider those who need the lower technologies and the fact is even that 3G network can be used for other services in the future.
MTN Nigeria would take into account what subscribers need and won’t leave anyone behind, even as it encourages people to move to higher technology. 
Experiencing 5G The Right Way
Stream your favourite movies in 4K, make video calls with your loved ones without buffering or lag, enjoy quality gaming experience, and carry out downloads with super-fast speeds with the MTN 5G network in Nigeria.
Simply put, 5G is the fifth generation of wireless technology. With download speeds up to 10 times faster than its predecessor, 5G will reinvent how we use the internet and bring us to a new phase of technological advancement with never-before-seen innovations and applications.
How To Get On 5G In Nigeria
To experience the power of 5G, you need a 5G capable smartphone or a 5G router and a 4G enabled SIM card. If you purchase our 5G broadband router, you’ll get a welcome bonus of 100GB and if you activate your 5G capable smartphone on the MTN network, you will receive a “one-off” 5GB activation bonus.
Today, 5G coverage is available in several locations nationwide and is exponentially expanding as Nigerians are now enjoying the unlimited benefits of the technology.