Airtel Nigeria, one of the leading telecommunication companies in the country, has announced the launch of its 5G network.
The Chief Commercial Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Femi Oshinlaja, revealed that the 5G service will initially be available in four states: Lagos, Ogun, Abuja, and Rivers and with time move to other cities across the country.
This launch comes amidst the race towards 5G network deployment in Nigeria, with Airtel joining the ranks of MTN and Mafab Communications, who had previously launched their own 5G networks.
According to data from the Nigeria Communication Commission, Airtel Nigeria currently holds a market share of 27.01% of the nation’s subscribers. The company’s market share is surpassed only by MTN and Globacom, which control 39.79% and 27.28% respectively.
In January 2023, Airtel Nigeria acquired a 5G spectrum, as well as an additional spectrum for its 4G network, for a total sum of $316.7 million from the Nigeria Communication Commission.
Airtel Nigeria plans to deploy its 5G offering by utilizing the 3.5GHz spectrum, which will provide faster speeds and lower latency, ultimately enhancing the user experience. Additionally, the 2600MHz spectrum will be leveraged to boost the network’s capacity.
5G technology marks the fifth generation in mobile network technology, following the progression from 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G networks.
This global wireless standard aims to connect a wide array of devices, machines, and objects, offering remarkable features such as superfast download speeds of up to 50Gbps, high-quality streaming, low latency, increased availability, improved reliability, higher performance, and stable connectivity.
The introduction of Airtel Nigeria’s 5G network represents a significant milestone in the evolution of telecommunications within the country.
This advancement will bring enhanced connectivity and improved user experiences to customers in the selected states, propelling Nigeria’s telecommunications sector forward.
Airtel Network Limited is a subsidiary of Airtel Africa Plc, a leading Pan-African telecommunications company with operations in 14 countries across Africa.
