Nigeria's heavy reliance on 2G networks is a major concern for the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the country's telecom regulator.

Despite most countries being saturated with 5G networks and discussing 6G, a significant portion of Nigeria's population still uses 2G technology.

During a special reception by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) in Lagos,

Dr. Aminu Maina, the Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, expressed his worries about the high number of Nigerians on 2G networks . He called on industry leaders to focus on promoting 4G and higher technologies.

Recent NCC data reveals that 57.55% of Nigerian internet subscriptions are on 2G, while 3G, 4G, and 5G share the remaining 43%. Dr. Maina noted that although Nigeria has nearly 200 million connections, more than half are still on 2G.

He questioned why smartphones are still being produced with 2G capabilities and urged industry players to prioritize 4G and above technologies.

The NCC is also assessing potential risks associated with the upcoming 6G and 7G technologies, including security, health, privacy, and ethical considerations.

The regulator is taking steps to reduce the exposure of Nigeria's $75 billion telecom industry to emerging risks. Experts have emphasized the need for the sector to leverage emerging technologies such as 5G, IoT, AI, blockchain, and data analytics to streamline operations and enhance security.

Despite these challenges, investments in 5G networks are expected to bring operators a 32% revenue jump, potentially reaching $400 billion.