Mafab Communications, a Nigerian telecommunications company that secured a 5G license in 2021, is set to commence operations by the end of the first quarter of 2025. This launch will mark the first time Mafab’s services will be commercially available, nearly three years after the company entered the 5G market.
The initial rollout will feature 102 operational sites in Kano and Abuja. Subscribers will need to purchase routers to connect to the network. Mafab is collaborating with multiple vendors to build out these sites in phases, ensuring a robust infrastructure to support its 5G services.
Following its January 2023 launch event, Mafab began advertising the sale of 5G routers on its website. However, buyers were unable to activate the service, leading to the suspension of router sales as the company continued to work on completing its infrastructure buildout.
Mafab Communications secured its 5G license on the same day as MTN. However, while MTN launched its 5G services just eight months later, Mafab—a newer entrant in the market—faced significant delays in deploying its network due to a lack of telecom infrastructure. Further complicating the situation, Mafab did not receive its Unified Access Service License (UASL) and numbering plan until July 2022. Consequently, the company applied for an extension from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), pushing its rollout deadline to January 2023.
Despite the early stage of the 5G market in Nigeria, these delays have left Mafab playing catch-up with competitors like MTN and Airtel, particularly in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub where most subscribers are currently located. Mafab is still working on its Lagos sites but has not yet announced when services will go live there.
As with many telecoms operators, foreign exchange (FX) fluctuations have been a major challenge, leading to increased rollout costs compared to the initial projections.
Adedayo Onigbanjo, Mafab’s COO
Since its commercial rollout in August 2022, Nigeria’s 5G market has been growing, led by MTN Nigeria. As of October 2024, 5G accounted for 2.33% of the country’s internet subscribers, with MTN Nigeria commanding a 79% market share and Airtel Africa holding around 20%. Mafab’s planned Q1 2025 rollout is expected to drive further adoption, especially in cities outside Lagos and Abuja.
The company has focused on strengthening its infrastructure and expanding coverage in Kano and Abuja to support broader 5G access, according to Onigbanjo. This includes building out a Radio Access Network (RAN), transport systems, and intelligent networks to connect user devices—such as smartphones and IoT gadgets—to its core telecom network.
