Airtel Becomes 3rd Telco in Nigeria to Launch Commercial 5G Network

Bukola Olanrewaju June 20, 2023 TECHNOLOGY Leave a comment

…Operational in Four States

Airtel Nigeria has become the third telecom operator in Nigeria to launch commercial 5G network services.

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.

Joining the race towards 5G deployment in the country, Airtel Nigeria launched its 5G network in Lagos, Ogun, Abuja, and Rivers states.

The Chief Commercial Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Femi Oshinlaja, revealed that the 5G service will with time move to other cities across the country.

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In January 2023, Airtel acquired a 5G spectrum and additional spectrum for its 4G network for $316.7 million from the Nigeria Communication Commission.

The 5G network will utilize the 3.5GHz spectrum for faster speeds and lower latency, while the 2600MHz spectrum will boost network capacity, providing improved connectivity and user experiences.

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 Nigeria currently holds a market share of 27.01% of the nation’s subscribers, trailing behind MTN and Globacom.

Speaking during the launch, Airtel Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Carl Cruz, said 5G will revolutionize the way things are done because life is about to get simpler, easier, and more interesting for a lot of people in Nigeria.

“While we may think that the fourth generation network, 4G, is a remarkable platform or improvement on our internet experience, 5G is completely a new experience where everything and anything is indeed possible.

“For instance, with 5G end-to-end video playback with the support of artificial intelligence, AI is now possible even if you are using your own browser.

“So 5G is definitely a completely new experience with anything you want to do, whether it is self-driving cars or virtual reality, and indeed so much more.”

With the introduction of 5G, Airtel Nigeria aims to revolutionize the digital landscape, offering speeds up to 10 times faster than 4G. The improved performance and reliability of 5G will meet the growing needs of an increasingly connected society by enabling seamless transitions between networks when moving in and out of 5G coverage areas.

Also the Chairman of Bharti Airtel Worldwide, Mr Sunil Bharti Mittal said with the rolling out of 5G network, the telecom company will be investing $700 million in the next two years.