60% of Nigerians with 4G coverage don’t use mobile internet – GSMA

• The Global System for Mobile Communications Association says 60 per cent of Nigerians with 4G coverage don’t use mobile internet
• This shows the existing gap between availability of 4G coverage and usage
• 4G and 5G internet adoption is expected to reach 50 per cent and 17 per cent, respectively by 2030 in Sub-Saharan Africa

The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) reveals that 60 per cent of Nigerians with 4G coverage do not use mobile internet.

The Sub-Saharan Africa Head of GSMA, Angela Wamola, stated this during an interactive webinar session organised by GSMA at the weekend.

Wamola said there is an existing disparity between the availability of 4G coverage and the actual use of mobile internet, stressing that although a majority of Nigerians have access to 4G coverage, many do not utilise mobile internet services.

She further noted that of the 60 per cent, 18 per cent have a phone but are not using mobile internet, while the other 42 per cent don’t have a device.

Wamola said, “Overall, just to place Nigeria in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa, which mirrors the challenges that we face, we see only about 19 per cent of our population are using mobile internet using a smartphone, and another eight per cent are using mobile internet but using a smart feature phone.

“Now you’ll have a huge section of about 60 per cent of our population who have access to at least a 4G coverage today but have never used mobile internet.

“That number is 60 per cent, and we break it down as follows: 18 per cent have a phone but are not using mobile internet, and another 42 per cent don’t even have a device, and therefore will not be able to use mobile internet.”  

The association stressed that this gap in the adoption of mobile internet poses a challenge in expanding digital inclusion across the country.

4G adoption to reach 50% by 2030 in Sub-Saharan Africa

Wamola further noted that 4G adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to reach only 50 per cent by 2030 despite global advancements.

She pointed out that the expansion of telecommunications services, especially into rural areas, is hampered by factors like high infrastructure costs, outdated technologies, rising energy prices, and forex volatility.

Wamola added that without accelerated investment in the sector and policy support, Nigeria faces the risk of lagging in the global digital economy.

5G adoption to reach 17 per cent by 2030

Wamola also highlighted that by 2030, 5G coverage is projected to reach only 17 per cent of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The GSMA Sub-Saharan Africa Head noted that Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya account for more than half of the continent’s 5G connections, which indicates a slow adoption of the technology in the region.

120 million Nigerians lack access to the internet due to infrastructural gaps –Report

 Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that according to GSMA’s State of Mobile Connectivity Report 2024, half of Nigeria’s population (120 million) lacks access to mobile internet due to infrastructural gaps.

The report noted that the usage gap is still a challenge in low- and medium-income countries (LMICs) such as Nigeria. The usage gap is the population that lives within the footprint of a mobile broadband network but does not use mobile internet.