Nigeria’s journey to digital future don gain strong momentum as Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) announce say 5G network penetration don reach 14% of di country population, and five percent dey use am, with strong target to achieve 30% coverage very soon.

For one media meeting for Lagos, NCC leaders show say di country don pass di first test phase of 5G technology and don enter di real expansion stage. Dis announcement na big moment for Africa’s biggest economy, where connectivity dey become di backbone of everything from financial inclusion to smart manufacturing.

Di Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, wey confess say 5G rollout still dey slow because of many reasons, tok say: "5G penetration na about 14%, and dat no be where we go stop. Na where we go begin to accelerate.

"Our eyes dey fixed on 30% penetration. And we mean very soon—no be someday, but for one clear and aggressive timeframe. Every mast, every fibre backhaul, and every licence condition dey arranged to deliver dat target."

According to am, when 4G first start, e also dey slow, but gradually e settle and penetration jump. 4G right now dey at 53.59%.

Di 5G service, wey dem start for Nigeria for late 2022 and 2023 after di auction of 3.5 gigahertz spectrum bands to MTN Nigeria, Mafab Communications and Airtel, don later spread to more than 150 big cities and urban areas.

NCC confirm say more than 40 million devices now dey 5G-capable across networks, although active subscriptions for 5G plans dey around 14% of di country estimated 220 million mobile connections.

But NCC fresh declaration pass subscriber figures. Di commission stress say to achieve 30% penetration no be just commercial Key Performance Indicator but na national economic must-do. As Nigeria dey try to raise di contribution of digital economy from around 18% of Gross Domestic Product to over 21% by 2027, di commission argue say 5G low latency and high throughput na necessary catalysts.

According to NCC, without strong 5G coverage for plenty places, "we no fit really talk about smart cities, telemedicine for village clinics, or real-time precision farming."