Four years after 5G launch, 4G still dominates with 53.76% market shares
By Victor Idajili
Four years after Nigeria’s 5G network rollout began, the technology remains a niche service, with 4G and even 2G still carrying the bulk of mobile traffic across the country.
According to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission seen by Statspheremag, 5G accounted for just 4.2% of all mobile connections as of March 2026.
In contrast, 4G leads the market with 53.76% share, while 2G still commands 36.74%. 3G holds the remaining 5.3%.
The NCC set April 24, 2022, for the commercial rollout of 5G in Nigeria. MTN Nigeria was first to launch commercially on September 18, 2022, followed by Airtel Nigeria on June 19, 2023.
At launch, MTN CEO Karl Toriola promised 5G in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, Owerri and Maiduguri, touting “near-instant access” and download speeds that take seconds instead of minutes. Airtel CEO Carl Cruz also pledged nationwide 5G coverage by end of 2023, saying 5G would enable “end-to-end video creation with AI support” beyond what 4G offers.
Yet four years later, 5G coverage remains limited to select locations in a handful of states. The gap between promise and reality is clear in the numbers. NCC data shows 5G grew from 3.07% in June 2025 to 4.2% in March 2026. Over the same period, 4G climbed from 50.8% to 53.76%, while 2G slipped slightly from 38.47% to 36.74%. 3G continued its decline, falling from 7.66% to 5.3%.
NCC Executive Vice Chairman Dr. Aminu Maida blames the slow adoption on two main factors: the high cost of 5G equipment priced in dollars, and the limited availability of 5G-enabled smartphones.
For most Nigerians, 4G remains “fast enough” for streaming, calls and browsing. With 5G devices and data plans still expensive, subscribers are not rushing to upgrade.
The result: despite the hype around 5G as a game changer for telecoms, 2G and 4G continue to dominate. Until device costs drop and coverage expands, 5G’s share is likely to keep crawling instead of surging.
