The growth of 5G IN AFRICA

Around a dozen nations in Africa have now launched 5G services, and there has been a flurry of new developments.

on the move, and for their homes and businesses. Safaricom has introduced 5G data bundles to enable 400,000 customers using 5G smartphones to browse at ultra-fast speeds, with typical speeds of 400Mbps to 700Mbps.

"As a digital lifestyle enabler, we are excited about a 5G future, which makes it possible to close the digital divide in underserved communities, provide access to critical services such as healthcare or spur economic growth by connecting small businesses to new opportunities," said Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom PLC.

Orange launched its first commercial 5G network in Africa in late 2022, in Botswana, while in February 2023, Nokia signed a deal with MTN to expand 5G in South Africa.

A recent report from Nokia notes that 5G deployments in Africa are at a nascent stage and poised to gain momentum in the coming years, although many operators are still developing their business models around 4G.