| By: Francis Onyemachi

Nigeria has set a target of 30 per cent 5G network penetrations under its National Broadband Plan, but adoption remains well below that goal nearly four years after the technology’s launch, according to industry analysts.

Nigeria first conducted its 5G trial on November 25, 2019, making it the first country in West Africa to test the technology.

The proof-of-concept trial was launched in Abuja by MTN Nigeria in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Communications, (Innovation) and Digital Economy and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

However, Nigeria’s first commercial 5G network was rolled out on September 18, 2022, by MTN Nigeria.

Following this initial launch in cities like Lagos and Abuja, Mafab Communications and Airtel Nigeria subsequently entered the market with their own 5G services.

Four years post commercial launch, NCC put 5G network penetration at 14 per cent of the population and usage at 5 per cent.

Overall broadband penetration stood at 55.67 per cent, with more than 120.7 million active broadband subscriptions, the NCC said.

“An Apollo Moon Landing Trap”

Wande Adalemo, CEO of Wave5Wireless, said Nigeria risks repeating the pattern of the United States’ Apollo moon-landing programme, where the political objective, beating the Soviet Union, was achieved and public and financial interest collapsed once the flag was planted.

“We are seeing a version of this ‘Apollo effect’ play out with Nigeria’s 5G,” Adalemo said, arguing that telecom operators rushed to acquire 5G spectrum licences from the NCC largely for corporate prestige, then encountered the harder task of building out physical network infrastructure once that marketing objective was met.

Adalemo said Nigeria’s digital economy remains stuck in that trap:

“Heavy capital deployment in wealthy urban clusters, with the mass market and industrial economy still disconnected from high-speed broadband”.

He called for 5G to be treated as a unified infrastructure ecosystem rather than a network of standalone cellular towers, arguing that federating existing fibre and Wi-Fi capital, comparable to Interswitch’s role in unifying Nigerian banking infrastructure, offers a faster path to scale than continued siloed tower deployment.

Adalemo cited global data showing more than 80 per cent of data traffic moves over Wi-Fi rather than mobile networks.

Cost and Infrastructure Pressures

Adalemo identified naira depreciation, electricity supply, fibre-optic cable cuts and national grid instability as the central obstacles to 5G rollout.

Telecom equipment is imported in foreign currency, he said, while operators earn revenue in naira, a mismatch worsened by currency depreciation.

He said Nigeria recorded more than 27,000 fibre-line cuts over the past year, a figure broadly consistent with NCC data reported elsewhere, and said recurring national grid collapses force operators to run diesel generators to keep 5G masts operational, adding significantly to costs.

Adalemo urged government-backed initiatives to de-risk fibre deployment for private operators, alongside parallel action on power supply and infrastructure security.

He specifically called on the Federal Government to accelerate Project BRIDGE, the national fibre rollout initiative, and urged the NCC to support interoperable infrastructure-sharing frameworks such as Wave5Wireless’s own AMPPS architecture, which the company positions as a clearinghouse connecting mobile network operators (MNOs) and fixed wireless/FTTH internet service providers (ISPs).

The FG has secured approximately $822 million (equivalent to roughly N1.2 trillion depending on exchange rates) in multilateral funding and grants for Project BRIDGE (Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth).

The nationwide $2 billion initiative aims to deploy 90,000 km of open-access fibre optic infrastructure across the country

However, on the residential ISP market, Adalemo said Nigeria’s largest fibre-to-the-home providers remain capped by low addressable markets, citing Spectranet’s subscriber base at approximately 108,000 and other providers between 15,000 and 45,000, and argued that shared-infrastructure overlay models could expand that addressable base.

On mobile operators, he said dense commercial districts such as Balogun, Alaba and Computer Village suffer poor indoor cellular signal due to building density, and argued MNOs should prioritise infrastructure-sharing arrangements over independent tower construction to resolve urban congestion.

He also called for device-financing partnerships between telecom operators, fintechs and device manufacturers to expand the base of 5G- and Wi-Fi-enabled smartphone users through micro-installment schemes.

A Second View: Government Investment is the Gap

Frank Samuel, a financial and technology analyst, said Nigeria’s 5G rollout has relied too heavily on private telecom investment without commensurate government funding, leaving citizens exposed to gaps in access and service quality.

He also cited weak enforcement against infrastructure vandalism, saying security agencies have not treated protection of telecoms infrastructure as a policing priority despite existing legal frameworks.

Samuel proposed measurable indicators to track progress over the next two years: adoption of cloud-based tools as a proxy for broadband quality, the speed of digital financial transactions in remote areas rather than Lagos alone, and uptake of 5G home routers, such as those introduced by MTN under a subscription model.

He linked broadband expansion to the Federal Government’s target of a $1 trillion digital economy, arguing that improved connectivity enables broader participation in digital and AI-driven platforms, which in turn supports productivity, incomes and tax revenue.

The post Wave5Wireless CEO Explains Why Nigeria’s 5G Isn’t Taking Off as Expected appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Nigeria has only 265,000 active fibre-to-the-home subscriptions nationwide, even as the country’s total internet subscriber base has grown to 154.72 million, a gap regulators and telecoms operators say threatens the sustainability of the nation’s broadband ambitions.

The figures were disclosed by Dr Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), in a keynote address at the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria’s (ATCON) Critical Conversation Forum on FTTH, held in Lagos, recently.

The scale of the gap

According to Maida, Nigeria’s FTTH penetration sits below the African average of 2.5 per cent and far below the 47 per cent average recorded in mature broadband markets globally.

This is despite overall internet growth: active subscriptions rose from 141.99 million in April 2025 to 154.72 million in April 2026, while broadband penetration climbed from 48.81 per cent to 55.67 per cent over the same period. As at March 2026, 4G accounted for 53.76 per cent of mobile network share and 5G for 4.20 per cent.

Nigerians consumed an average of approximately 1.4 million terabytes of data monthly over the preceding six months, Maida said.

Separately, Egerton Idehen, chief broadband officer at MTN Nigeria, put FTTH penetration against the country’s housing stock at approximately 1.5 per cent, which he described as critically low, and pointed to right-of-way (RoW) charges from state governments, compounded by informal levies from community development associations and land-owning interests (Omo-onile meaning ‘land grabbers’), as major cost burdens on deployment.

Cables under attack

The NCC recorded over 27,685 fibre-cut incidents (equaling one incident per 19 minutes, for the year), more than 27,000 cases of access denial, and 4,210 cases of theft across telecom operators between January and December 2025, Maida said.

He linked the figures to the full operationalisation of the Presidential Order designating telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII).

The NCC, the Federal Ministry of Works and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy inaugurated a Joint Standing Committee on the Protection of Fibre Optic Cables in February 2025 to coordinate protection efforts around road works.

Right-of-way reform advances, but gaps remain

Thirteen states have fully waived RoW charges, while sixteen others have adopted the National Economic Council’s recommended rate of N145 per linear metre, Maida said, adding that the NCC’s Ease of Doing Business Portal now publishes state-by-state data on RoW charges and approval processes.

The Commission is also conducting a Wholesale Fixed Broadband Market Assessment to evaluate competitiveness in the wholesale fixed broadband market.

However, Biodun Omoniyi, MD/CEO of VDT Communications, cautioned during a panel session that RoW represents only a fraction of total deployment costs, and urged states to legislate protective frameworks against damage from uncoordinated public works.

Panellists also noted that even in states that have waived formal RoW charges, multiple agencies continue to impose other levies.

Backbone expansion underway

Maida referenced Project BRIDGE, the federal government’s initiative to extend the national fibre backbone by approximately 90,000 kilometres to reach all 774 Local Government Areas. Low-level design work for 40,000 kilometres of the network has begun, supported by development partners, with last-mile FTTH infrastructure identified as the necessary complement to the backbone investment.

Industry voices: patient capital, shared infrastructure

Tony Emoekpere, ATCON President, told the forum that mobile networks are not designed to deliver full broadband, positioning FTTH as the only sustainable route to national penetration targets, and called for greater industry self-regulation on infrastructure-sharing standards.

Eric Chen, Director of Strategy at Huawei, presented industry analysis linking every 10 per cent increase in fixed broadband penetration to approximately 1.5 per cent GDP growth, a figure attributed to Huawei’s own analysis rather than an independently verified source.

Chen cited China’s post-2013 policy of mandating in-building fibre for new construction, paired with open-access rules guaranteeing at least three operators per facility, as a model Nigeria could adapt through “Dig-Once” and fibre-ready building mandates.

Amin Dayekh, MD/CEO of Megamore Wireless Broadband, called for a four-part investment compact: patient, infrastructure-minded capital; proactive infrastructure protection ahead of excavation; realistic recognition that wireless ISPs will continue serving markets where fibre economics aren’t yet viable; and affordability built into policy upstream rather than imposed on retail pricing. Without it, he warned, Nigeria risks shifting “from a divide of availability to a divide of affordability.”

Segun Okuneye, chairman of the ATCON Fibre Clean-Up Committee, reported that a pilot phase of the association’s cable clean-up project has begun across high-density routes in Lagos, including the Ikeja corridor, Lekki Phase 1 and Victoria Island, in partnership with the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA).

What happens next

The forum’s communiqué carries 17 recommendations, including calls for the NCC to expedite and publish its Wholesale Fixed Broadband Market Assessment, for state governments to legislate protection for licensed infrastructure and address informal levies, for operators to adopt international outside-plant standards and join the ATCON clean-up project, and for financiers to structure FTTH investment around realistic, longer payback timelines rather than short-cycle returns.

ATCON said it will transmit the communiqué to the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, and participating state governments.

The post ‘One Fibre Cut Every 19 Minutes’: ATCON FTTH Forum Highlights Nigeria’s Broadband Bottleneck appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The initiative comes at a time when demand for reliable, high-speed internet is rising among households, entrepreneurs, students, and remote workers.

Through these solutions, MTN is enabling connectivity while supporting wider broadband adoption across Nigeria.

Customers can choose from a range of broadband packages, including the 30GB Broadband Data Bundle with a 4G Standard Router for NGN 9,000, the 60GB Broadband Data Bundle with a 4G Premium Router for NGN 14,500, and the Broadband Unlimited Standard Plan with a 5G Router for NGN 40,000.

Speaking about the solution, Egerton Idehen, chief broadband officer, MTN Nigeria, said:

“At MTN, we are constantly innovating to ensure that more Nigerians enjoy the benefits of reliable, high-quality connectivity. Broadband has become an essential service for modern living, enabling people to work, learn, create, and stay connected. Through this initiative, we are making access more affordable and empowering individuals, households, and businesses with the connectivity they need every day. We believe these efforts will accelerate digital inclusion and broadband adoption across Nigeria while delivering meaningful value to those we serve.”

Customers can purchase the broadband packages at MTN Stores, including  authorised partners and accredited device partners nationwide.

The broadband solutions build on MTN’s broader Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) portfolio, leveraging its 4G and 5G networks to provide reliable connectivity for homes and small businesses. By combining data plans, devices and MTN’s extensive network coverage, the offerings provide a practical solution for customers seeking dependable internet access.

The post MTN Nigeria Deepens Broadband Penetration with Bundled Router and Data Solutions appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Mr. Stanley Jegede, the executive chairman of Phase3 Telecom, spoke on the company’s contributions to Nigeria’s digital ecosystem while receiving members of the Executive Committee of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), who paid him a courtesy visit at the company’s Abuja office on Thursday, June 18th, 2026.

Speaking during the meeting, Mr. Jegede noted that Phase3 Telecom has spent the last 23 years building infrastructure that enables connectivity for millions of Nigerians, support for mobile network operators, educational institutions, businesses, and other critical sectors of the economy.

“We are a responsible organisation that has been in existence for twenty-three years. Our primary focus has been supporting broadband penetration, and we have successfully delivered on that mandate,” he said.

“We have built infrastructure across 36 states of the federation, providing services to mobile network operators, schools, businesses, and other institutions. Much of what we do happens behind the scenes, but the mobile networks Nigerians rely on every day depend significantly on our infrastructure.”

According to him, the company remains focused on further expanding broadband access and supporting national efforts to bridge the digital divide.

“Our goal is to continue increasing broadband penetration across the country. We are working closely with government and regulators to ensure that we achieve even higher levels of connectivity and digital inclusion.”

Mr. Jegede further linked broadband development to broader socio-economic progress, stressing the importance of access to reliable information in a digitally connected society.

“As we continue helping Nigerians access the connectivity required for everyday life and economic activity, it is equally important to support institutions that ensure the information people consume is accurate and credible. That is why we value organisations such as GOCOP, which promote responsible journalism and factual reporting.”

The Phase3 Telecom Chairman also pledged the company’s support for initiatives that strengthen media professionalism and promote public access to credible information.

“Good journalism is good for the country. There is no doubt that Nigeria is better off because of it. We should continue to explore opportunities for collaboration that advance both national development and informed public discourse,” he added.

Earlier, Mr. Danlami Nmodu, the president of GOCOP, sought the support of Phase3 Telecom for the Guild’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), scheduled for October 8, 2026, in Lagos.

Nmodu described GOCOP as a trusted platform of professional online publishers committed to ethical journalism and credible reporting.

“We are a body of seasoned professionals who take our ethical responsibilities seriously. We work hard to ensure that whatever is published by GOCOP members is reliable, accurate, and professionally produced,” he said.

He noted that sustained investment in media organisations is essential to strengthening investigative journalism, special reports, and other forms of public-interest reporting.

“The more resources available to media organisations, the greater their capacity to undertake investigative and developmental journalism. Supporting quality journalism ultimately strengthens democracy, promotes accountability, and advances good governance,” Nmodu added.

The GOCOP delegation included the Guild’s General Secretary, Mr. Sufuyan Ojeifo, and Publicity Secretary, Ms. Kemi Yesufu.

Phase3 Telecom is Africa’s leading independent aerial fibre optic network infrastructure and telecommunications services provider.

The company operates across the ECOWAS region and serves international markets through strategic partnerships that enable connectivity for clients in more than 400 cities worldwide.

The post Phase3 Telecom Reaffirms Commitment to Broadband Expansion appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

According to the report, Nigeria mobile broadband ranks 56th in the internet quality index due to low internet speeds.

“The country has one of the slowest broadband connection speeds globally (13.45 Mbps), ranking 105th, and slightly faster mobile internet (17.91 Mbps), ranking 96th,” said the report. “However, the country’s broadband speed growth is one of the fastest on the planet, ranking 16th.”

Interestingly, the telecom industry regulator in Nigeria – the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has set of KPIs to ensure the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) maintain appreciable quality of service (QoS). But how are the MNOs fairing? Can you as a consumer help to improve the quality of mobile broadband in Nigeria? Enext believes you can!

Enext Wireless, through its dynamic National Independent Wireless Broadband Quality Reporting (NIWBQR), provides the public and the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) a level of visibility into the quality of LTE access in the country.

Early last year, Enext Wireless showcased few components of its flagship – Enext Metrics.

Quality of Mobile Broadband in Nigeria

• 1G and 2G were for mobile voice connection services
• 3G was for mobile voice and some data connection services
• 4G is for internet data connection services which allow for multiple forms of communication – voice, video, multimedia, internet of things, etc.
• 5G extends the data communication capabilities of 4G to increase connection speed and density and allow for the creation of unique communication services within the same network (network slicing).
• All of the above depend on effective utilization of the airwave. And the more advanced the standard, the higher the demand on the quality of the utilization of the airwave.
• It is not sufficient to accept what the service providers say about the quality of their networks when users can independently verify that quality
• EMETRICS (available here) provides a means for such independent verification

How you can help

• Use EMETRICS to find the quality of mobile broadband (LTE or 5G) at your location.
• Let your service provider know you would like them to provide measurement data to Enextgen or use Enext Wireless’ measurement tool (Enextlog), if there is no data for your location or area.
• Share with us any observed lack of correlation between its ranking and your experience at your location.
• Spread the news that Enext Wireless provides information on the quality of mobile broadband.
  • The more users, the more areas covered
  • The more areas covered the higher the incentive for the operators to pay attention to the quality of their mobile broadband networks.
• Realize that this service is offered by a company whose primary interest is in looking out for the Nigerian public
• Understand that quality of service rating should flow from those receiving the service to those offering it, not the other way around.
• Don’t rely on self-serving quality reports from network operators.

Usage Guide

• The key information is conveyed in color codes
  • You have LTE coverage if the EMETRICS rank is not RED
  • RED means not to expect reliable LTE coverage.
  • The other codes – saddle brown, yellow, blue and green are for use in optimizing RF quality.
• Toggle Full Screen to change MNOs.
• Use Report Selection for viewing the other measurements that are primarily for technical use.
  • Ping is for packet latency which provides some indication of application layer performance
  • Uplink and downlink throughput data will show up under the appropriate selection (we often do not collect these)

The focus of its measurements is to improve RF quality, which is the foundation for reliable mobile internet access.

The post EMETRICS: You Can Help Improve the Quality of Mobile Broadband in Nigeria appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

During the Voice of the Industry session “From Network Innovation to Measurable Business Value”, ZTE emphasized that the industry is reaching a turning point.

While fiber networks have achieved unprecedented levels of speed, reliability and performance, revenue growth for many operators has not kept pace with this rapid technological progress.

Today, the core challenge lies not in the network itself, but in how its performance is translated into user experience and, ultimately, commercial value.

“Broadband networks have never been more advanced, yet this has not automatically resulted in stronger revenue growth,” said Hans Neff, deputy CTO of European and American Regions at ZTE. “The industry must shift its focus beyond traditional network metrics and start managing what truly matters, user experience and customer behavior.”

Currently, operators have historically prioritized network-centric indicators such as bandwidth and latency. While these remain important, they no longer fully capture the quality of service as perceived by end users.

In reality, customer satisfaction is shaped by everyday digital experiences, from uninterrupted video streaming to reliable remote working and seamless smart home connectivity.

When these experiences fall short, the impact is reflected not in network dashboards, but in customer churn, reduced service adoption and limited willingness to pay.

In this context, ZTE introduced a new value framework that connects network performance to business outcomes through user experience and customer behavior.

The company stressed that value is often lost at the experience layer, while customer behavior ultimately determines monetization success.

Understanding and influencing this chain has therefore become essential for operators seeking to unlock the full potential of their broadband investments.

To address this challenge, the company advocates the evolution toward intelligent broadband networks that integrate real-time analytics, artificial intelligence and closed-loop automation.

Such capabilities allow operators to gain deeper visibility into user experience, proactively identify and resolve service issues, and continuously optimize network performance from an end-user perspective.

This transformation enables a shift from reactive operations to experience-driven service management.

Home environment is getting more and more important, where many service quality issues originate.

By extending visibility and control into the home, operators can ensure consistent service delivery and create new opportunities for engagement and value creation.

This home-centric approach is expected to play a critical role in enabling differentiated service offerings and improving overall customer satisfaction.

As operators gain the ability to measure and manage experience more effectively, new monetization models begin to emerge.

These include experience-based pricing, premium service tiers tailored to specific user needs, and integrated smart home services that go beyond basic connectivity.

Such models represent a shift from volume-based competition to value-based differentiation, allowing operators to better align their offerings with customer expectations.

“Fiber creates connectivity, but experience creates value, and behavior creates revenue,” Neff added. “Operators who can successfully manage this chain will be best positioned to achieve sustainable growth in the years ahead.”

ZTE reaffirmed its commitment to supporting global operators in building intelligent, experience-driven networks that not only enhance service quality but also unlock new sources of revenue in the evolving broadband landscape.

The post ZTE Urges MNOs to Shift Focus Bandwidth Metrics to User Experience appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The latest industry statistics show that broadband subscriptions climbed to 116.7 million during the period, reflecting sustained growth in internet adoption driven by mobile network expansion and increasing demand for data services across the country.

Steady growth in subscriptions

Data from the NCC indicates a consistent upward trend in broadband usage over the past year.

From 96.3 million subscriptions in December 2024, the figure has steadily increased, crossing the 100 million mark in early 2025 and continuing its upward trajectory into 2026.

By February 2026:

• Subscriptions: 116,749,934
• Penetration: 53.86%

This represents a significant improvement compared to 53.07 per cent in January 2026 and 51.97 per cent in December 2025, highlighting a steady rise in connectivity levels.

Mobile networks remain dominant

Nigeria’s broadband growth continues to be largely powered by mobile broadband (3G and 4G networks), which account for the vast majority of internet access nationwide. With limited fixed broadband infrastructure, most Nigerians rely on mobile devices for connectivity.

The expansion of 4G coverage, alongside early adoption of 5G in select urban areas, has helped drive the increase in penetration.

Urban gains, rural gaps persist

Despite the progress, broadband penetration remains uneven across the country. Urban centres such as Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt continue to benefit from stronger network infrastructure, while rural and underserved areas lag behind.

Industry analysts have severally identified key challenges as limited fibre infrastructure outside major cities; high cost of network deployment in remote areas; power supply constraints, and right-of-way issues affecting infrastructure rollout.

These factors continue to slow the pace of nationwide broadband expansion.

Affordability remains a key barrier

While access is improving, affordability continues to shape adoption levels. Rising smartphone prices and economic pressures have made it harder for low-income users to come online, even as demand for internet services grows.

Industry observers note that sustaining broadband growth will depend not only on infrastructure expansion but also on making devices and data services more affordable.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) under the leadership of Dr. Aminu Maida, the executive vice chairman, has continued to advocate for increased investment in fibre networks; reduction in right-of-way charges, expansion of rural connectivity programmes, and strengthening of public-private partnerships

Broadband Penetration Outlook

The rise to 53.86 per cent penetration signals meaningful progress in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey.

However, maintaining this momentum will depend on addressing structural challenges that limit access and affordability.

As broadband becomes increasingly central to economic growth, financial inclusion, education, and digital services, the focus will now shift from expansion to inclusive and sustainable connectivity.

Nigeria is moving closer to universal broadband access, but bridging the digital divide will be critical to unlocking the full potential of its digital economy.

The post NCC: Broadband Penetration Climbs to 53.86% in February 2026 appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Under the agreement, Marlink will offer the high-throughput and low-latency O3b mPOWER dedicated connectivity services to its customers with data-intensive requirements.

These include its humanitarian, energy, enterprise, mining, government, maritime and OmniAccess’ superyacht customers who require robust communication networks with higher speeds and dedicated lower latency for their business operations in the most remote locations.

O3b mPOWER is built on the proven commercial success of SES’s first-generation O3b MEO constellation and is scheduled for launch in the coming months.

When operational by end of 2022, O3b mPOWER will provide unprecedented flexibility, performance coverage, and scale to extend new, bandwidth-intensive network services and applications.

The software-driven O3b mPOWER communications system is capable of delivering intelligent connectivity services from tens of megabits to multiple gigabits per second which will augment Marlink’s Smart Network solutions for its most demanding customers.

Marlink and SES have been partners for more than two decades, jointly delivering connectivity solutions to maritime users, humanitarian agencies, energy and mining companies, as well as enterprise, mobility and government customers around the world leveraging SES’s widebeam and high-throughput GEO satellites, O3b constellation and teleport infrastructure.

Marlink operates a global industry leading VSAT network and has unrivalled market access to the remote communications industries.

The new agreement will enable Marlink to further enhance the capabilities of its hybrid network solutions and offer its customers with truly differentiated, flexible, reliable and secure connectivity solutions, optimized for every application, especially the ones requiring high-throughputs and low-latency.

Erik Ceuppens, CEO of Marlink Group, commented, “At Marlink we are driven by technology progress and committed to bring the full power of a connected and digital world to our customers’ remote workplaces. This is why we are so excited to extend our long-term partnership with SES and to bring the game changing high-throughput low-latency capabilities of O3b mPOWER as part of Marlink’s Smart Network solutions to our most demanding customers in all our market verticals.”

Steve Collar, CEO of SES, commented, “Fast, flexible connectivity represents an opportunity for all businesses – especially those operating in remote locations. Marlink’s customers understand the strategic need for excellent connectivity, and the value of digitalisation. SES’s high-throughput, low-latency data connectivity represents a future-proof solution for these operators.”

The post Marlink, SES Turbo-Charge Long-Term Partnership with O3b mPOWER Commitment appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

These issues come from network congestion, limited infrastructure in many areas, and heavy reliance on mobile data that usually slows during peak hours.

But 2026 could make a difference. Nigeria is seeing a surge in fibre optic rollouts, a development that promises faster, more reliable internet across the country.

This development is not unique to Nigeria. Similar broadband expansion initiatives are gaining ground in other African markets such as Kenya and South Africa, where demand for stable, high-speed internet continues to rise very fast.

However, “faster internet” goes beyond just speed numbers. It points to a smoother online experience that supports everyday digital activities, from remote work to entertainment, and could fundamentally change how Nigerians connect and interact online.

Much of this progress is being driven by a mix of government programmes and private sector investment aimed at closing the country’s digital divide.

One of the key initiatives is Project BRIDGE, led by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. The project targets the deployment of 90,000 kilometres of fibre infrastructure nationwide, supported by significant funding, including a $500 million World Bank facility.

With broadband penetration estimated at 48% as of late 2025, Nigeria aims to reach 70% by 2030, with fibre playing a central role.

As these networks expand, internet-dependent activities are expected to become smoother, setting the stage for a more connected urban, suburban and, eventually, rural Nigeria.

Understanding the Fibre Rollout

Fibre-optic internet transmits data as pulses of light through thin strands of glass or plastic, allowing for extremely fast and reliable communication. Unlike older copper-based systems, fibre can carry large volumes of data over long distances without performance loss.

Compared to 4G or 5G mobile networks, fibre delivers more consistent speeds, with fewer disruptions from weather or congestion. Traditional broadband options such as DSL, by contrast, tend to max out at much lower speeds.

In Nigeria, the rollout is being driven by major telecom operators including MTN, Airtel and Glo, alongside infrastructure providers and newer entrants such as Boost ISP, Fibre Sonic and Amazon Kuiper.

Projects like the 90,000-kilometre Project BRIDGE, partly funded through a $500 million World Bank loan and expected to begin delivery in early 2026, are also crucial to expanding nationwide coverage.

Progress, however, is uneven. Urban centres like Lagos and Abuja are seeing faster deployment, while suburban and rural areas continue to lag due to logistical and cost challenges, a pattern common in many developing markets where cities are prioritised first.

What Faster Fibre Means for Streaming in 2026

Better and wider fibre availability could significantly improve streaming adoption in Nigeria. Platforms such as Netflix, YouTube and local services like Showmax would be able to deliver smooth HD and 4K content with minimal buffering, even during peak evening hours.

More reliable connections could also encourage live streaming of concerts, sports and other events, strengthening the creator economy and allowing Nigerian filmmakers and content creators to reach global audiences more easily.

This aligns with broader expectations for growth in Nigeria’s digital economy in 2026.

Homes with multiple connected devices would experience fewer slowdowns, as fibre’s higher bandwidth can support simultaneous usage.

Similar transitions in countries like India have led to a surge in digital content creation, and Nigeria could see a comparable rise in locally produced media that promotes culture and storytelling.

What Faster Fibre Means for Gaming in 2026

For gamers, the biggest advantage of fibre is lower latency, the delay between a player’s action and the game’s response. Fibre networks can reduce latency to milliseconds, replacing frustrating lag with smoother gameplay.

This is especially important for competitive multiplayer titles such as Call of Duty and Fortnite, where split-second reactions matter. It also opens the door to cloud gaming services that stream high-end games without requiring expensive hardware.

In Nigeria, improved connectivity could help grow esports communities, with more tournaments and online leagues emerging in cities like Lagos. Local game developers may also benefit, as faster uploads and easier collaboration make global partnerships more feasible.

As connections stabilise, more African streamers are likely to build audiences on platforms like Twitch, turning gaming into a viable career path.

Advantages of Fibre for Remote Work and Digital Productivity in 2026

Remote work is expanding rapidly in Nigeria, but unreliable internet often disrupts video meetings and file sharing. Fibre connectivity could provide the stability needed for uninterrupted Zoom or Microsoft Teams sessions, reducing the dropouts that frustrate professionals.

For creatives, developers and media workers, faster upload speeds mean large files can be sent in minutes rather than hours, making collaboration with international clients far more efficient.

This reliability could also increase participation in global freelancing platforms such as Upwork, drawing more Nigerians into remote jobs and reshaping work culture amid rising living costs in major cities.

Experiences in countries like the Philippines suggest that better connectivity boosts productivity, and in Nigeria, it may help retain local talent by making remote work viable even outside major hubs.

The Real Challenges Holding Fibre Back

Despite the optimism, rolling out fibre infrastructure is far from simple. High deployment costs, including trenching and securing rights-of-way, slow progress, particularly in densely populated areas.

Power supply is another challenge, as fibre equipment requires stable electricity, often necessitating costly backup systems. Maintenance is also a concern, with vandalism and theft leading to thousands of fibre cuts each year. MTN alone reported more than 9,200 fibre cuts in 2025.

Affordability is a barrier, especially for lower-income households, while last-mile connections to homes in rural or informal settlements are often unreliable. These challenges reflect broader issues faced by emerging markets trying to balance expansion with equitable access.

What to Expect Next: Is 2026 the Breakthrough Year?

In the short term, 2026 could bring visible improvements as the initial phases of Project BRIDGE begin rolling out from the first quarter of the year. Over time, the impact is expected to grow as networks mature and support more advanced digital services.

Fibre will also operate alongside other technologies. It will complement 5G for mobile connectivity and satellite options such as Starlink and Amazon Kuiper for hard-to-reach areas, creating a hybrid connectivity ecosystem.

Consumers are likely to benefit from increased competition among internet service providers, making it important to watch for transparent pricing, reliable service levels and bundled offerings. As seen in other markets, stronger infrastructure usually leads to better value and improved service quality.

Conclusion

Fibre rollout is a powerful enabler for Nigeria’s digital ambitions, especially the 2030 digital economy plan, promising smoother streaming, immersive gaming, and productive remote work.

But fibre is not an omnipotent solution; success is still based on other factors such as smart policies, fair pricing, and widespread access to truly unlock its potential.

In the bigger picture, this could propel Nigeria toward a thriving digital economy, blending local innovation with global connectivity, and making 2026 an important year for what is next.

The post Faster Internet in 2026? What Nigeria’s Fibre Rollout Means for Streaming, Gaming and Remote Work appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

The report defines a unified security framework and guidelines that help enterprises integrate Private 5G into existing IT and Wi-Fi environments while protecting critical operations against evolving cyber threats.

It introduces a converged Zero-Trust model built on open standards and shared policies, enabling organizations to deliver secure, interoperable and resilient enterprise networks.

As digital transformation accelerates across manufacturing, healthcare, logistics and energy, organizations are turning to Private 5G to connect mission-critical systems, automate processes and enable new business models.

But digital transformation can also expand the attack surface, meaning potential greater exposure to cybersecurity risks, including data breaches, intellectual property theft and operational disruption.

The new WBA report provides practical guidance to help enterprises unify policies across wired and wireless domains, helping fuel innovation while safeguarding intellectual property and business continuity.

Positive impact across the connected ecosystem

The Enterprise Security for Private 5G Networks report defines a common language and framework for secure, converged wireless deployments, with new insights and benefits for each part of the connected ecosystem, including:

Enterprises: Gain a practical roadmap to deploy Private 5G and Wi-Fi securely within existing IT architectures. The framework helps reduce cyber risk while accelerating digital transformation and ensuring compliance with corporate security policies

Network operators and system integrators: Can deliver interoperable, standardized solutions that simplify enterprise adoption, shorten deployment cycles and open new service opportunities in sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare and logistics

Technology vendors: Benefit from a unified approach to security that supports cross-domain connectivity, promotes interoperability and accelerates innovation across the wireless ecosystem

Regulators and policymakers: Obtain valuable insight into the evolving governance, compliance and assurance needs that accompany the convergence of Wi-Fi and Private 5G in enterprise networks

An industry blueprint for success

To achieve seamless and secure connectivity, enterprises must unify security across all wireless domains. The report distils collaboration between global operators, vendors and enterprise security experts into a practical blueprint.

It provides clear guidance on how to integrate Private 5G securely into existing IT and Wi-Fi environments, apply Zero Trust principles and unify policies across wired and wireless domains, safeguarding intellectual property and their business operations.

Key insights covered in the report include:

• Unified security architecture: Private 5G and Wi-Fi 6/6E/7 are complementary technologies. When combined under a single Zero-Trust framework customers get the best of both worlds: ultra-reliable, secure, flexible connectivity precisely where it is needed most
• pxGrid integration: The pxGrid protocol provides secure, bi-directional data exchange between Wi-Fi, 5G and enterprise systems. This ensures consistent identity management, access control and threat intelligence sharing across a network
• Zero-Trust implementation: Continuous verification, micro-segmentation and dynamic policy enforcement minimize lateral movement and enhance defense across both wired and wireless domains
• AI and edge intelligence: Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) and AI-driven analytics strengthen security posture by enabling real-time anomaly detection, local decision-making, and automated threat response
• Open standards and interoperability: REST APIs, WebSocket and pxGrid are key enablers for cross-vendor compatibility, unified management and simplified deployment within complex enterprise ecosystems
• Immediate security priority: The report underscores that security must be foundational from the start of Private 5G adoption, not an afterthought, in order to safeguard mission-critical operations and maintain business continuity

Download the “Enterprise Security for Private 5G Networks” report here. 

Commenting on the report, Tiago Rodrigues, president and CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance, said:

“Private 5G represents the next frontier of enterprise connectivity, but with its potential comes new complexity and risk. By bringing Wi-Fi and 5G under a common security framework, the industry can accelerate digital transformation without compromising resilience or interoperability. This report sets out a clear path to secure, converged networks built on open standards, Zero Trust design and shared threat intelligence.”

Dr. Derek Peterson, CTO, Boingo Wireless and WBA chairman, added:

“As a leader in neutral host and private network deployments for airports, stadiums, hospitals, military bases and commercial properties, Boingo focuses on delivering secure, seamless connectivity experiences. Private 5G is creating new opportunities for enterprises and raises the bar for security. The WBA Enterprise Security for Private 5G Networks report offers timely guidance to design secure, scalable networks that protect critical operations and deliver the always-on connectivity customers expect in high-density environments.”

Gino Corleto, Project Leader & Industry Solutions Architect, Cisco, said:

“As enterprises accelerate digital transformation, integrating Private 5G into existing IT and Wi-Fi environments introduces both opportunity and complexity, particularly for security teams tasked with protecting critical operations. This report provides a clear, actionable framework to help organizations unify their security policies and apply Zero-Trust principles across diverse networks. By bridging the gap between Private 5G and established enterprise security practices, we’re enabling organizations to confidently adopt new technologies without sacrificing resilience or compliance.”

Peter Thornycroft, Chief Editor & Distinguished Engineer, HPE, added:

“Enterprises need confidence that Private 5G can be managed under the same security frameworks as their existing networks. By uniting best practices like segmentation, role-based access, and AI-driven monitoring, this report provides practical guidance for building secure, converged networks that support digital transformation”

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