Most recent smartphones in Nigeria, including those made by Samsung, iPhone, Redmi, Xiaomi, Nokia, and Huawei, are 5G network compatible.
Nigerians using 4G sims can access 5G Network as they are 5G enabled. Basically, using a 5G router or a phone that is both 5G compatible and 5G enabled is the surest way to get access to the 5th generation network.
A 5G router provides unrestricted access to 5G in Nigeria for everyone, while any device from any 5G operator can connect to the 5G network once present.
MTN and Mafab recently launched a 5G network in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria.
The telecom companies both won the 5G License in December 2021, and the companies were expected to roll out 5G services at least 12 months from the date of the license.
On their launch of the 5G network, the Lagos State government applauded them for advancing the state bringing it closer to its smart city dream.
The Governor said the historic launch of the 5G Network in the state marks another important milestone in the country’s technology and telecommunications journey as a whole.
“For us in the Lagos State government, this launch will bring us even closer to realizing our dream of becoming a smart city.
Read also: Nigerians now have access to MTN 5G across 190 sites
The Telecoms facilitate more jobs and revenue
The state government also commended the telecommunications companies for generating huge revenue for the state and creating jobs for its residents.
“The telecommunications industry has been a significant economic driver for Lagos State in particular and Nigeria as a whole, contributing more than $70 billion and helping to create over half a million jobs.
“The prospects of what we can accomplish with the 5G network, which is next level technology, fills me with high hopes for the future of the different sectors of our economy, most especially the security sector.
The governor commended the telecom operators for working hard to deliver this next level technology that outguns the 4G network by a very wide margin, and as such, its capabilities exceed expectations.
What to expect from the 5G network
With MTN and Mafab’s roll-out of the 5G network, Nigeria joins a host of African countries like Botswana, Egypt, Gabon, Lesotho, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Kenya, and Ethiopia in the quest for mainstream 5G adoption.
The 5G network is 50 times faster than the 4G network, has a lower latency of fewer than five milliseconds, and enables advanced healthcare (telemedicine), more realistic gaming (AR and VR), real-life collaboration, and speed.
It will unlock the true potential of the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Smart Cities and Immersive Communication over Augmented (AR) and Virtual reality (VR), which will empower millions of consumers and enterprises with innovative 5G applications millions in the country.
Mohammed Rufai, Chief Technical Officer, MTN Nigeria, said: “5G will revolutionize the way we live and communicate across industries. With the speeds 5G offers, we will be able to experience the internet with low latency, which means no lag, making our virtual interactions more real. At MTN, we will continue to pursue the rollout of 5G technology to revolutionize internet access across the continent.”
The Chairman of Mafab Communications, Dr Mushabu Bashir also pointed out that many business opportunities will emerge as a result of the 5G network.
“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 etc., and allow Nigerians meet the long-term goal of ensuring that everybody is connected,” he said.
The 5G Network Future plan
Mafab Communication has also said Nigerians should expect its presence in four more cities, asides from Lagos and Abuja. The company had flagged off the launch in Abuja just 48 hours before the Lagos launch. According to them, Nigerians should expect the network to launch in four other cities in the near future; Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and Kaduna.
For MTN, the company promised to launch the network in six other cities soon: Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, Owerri, and Maiduguri.