• Namibia’s MTC launches 5G in four major cities
• Promises faster speeds, IoT, smart agriculture, telemedicine uses
• High deployment costs, limited coverage remain Africa-wide challenges

Namibian telecommunications company MTC officially launched commercial 5G on Sunday, August 24, 2025, in the cities of Ongwediva, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, and Windhoek. The southern African nation now joins the approximately 30 African countries already equipped with the technology.

"The power and seamlessness of 5G will open doors to new opportunities in industries such as the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, smart agriculture, payments and telemedicine, enhancing efficiency and fostering innovation. The introduction of the technology is a historic milestone in Namibia’s digital journey," said Monica Nehemia, MTC's Chief Technical and Information Officer.

This launch follows a 2024 test conducted by the company. It comes as operators and governments across the continent are racing to deploy the latest generation technology, which is seen as a catalyst for digital transformation due to its superior performance. MTC promises its subscribers mobile data speeds up to 100 times faster than 4G, with peaks reaching 100 gigabits per second, reduced latency, and increased capacity to connect many more devices simultaneously.

According to data from Ecofin Agency, 48 telecom operators in 28 countries had already activated 5G by the end of June. The most recent countries to join the race are Egypt, Rwanda, Eswatini, Tunisia, Comoros, and the Republic of Congo. Many other countries are preparing for commercial 5G launches at varying stages of progress. For example, Morocco awarded licenses to its three mobile phone operators in late July. The technology is expected to be launched by the end of the year, with an investment plan of approximately $9 billion to bring 5G coverage to 85% of the population by 2030.

However, the article notes that following the launch of the technology, nationwide coverage and usage still need to be ensured. The main challenges for widespread 5G adoption on the continent include the high cost of deployment, the unavailability of essential frequency spectrum, a lack of fiber optic capacity, insufficient incentives for inter-industry collaboration, and the absence of standards or guidelines for managing cross-border data exchanges. Swedish company Ericsson estimates the basic cost of 5G deployment to be between $3 billion and $8 billion per country, with an additional 20% to 35% investment needed to expand network coverage.

The African Telecommunications Union (ATU) believes the slow development of practical 5G use cases—for both personal and industrial use—that integrate new technologies like artificial intelligence, big data, and the Internet of Things is delaying the adoption of the technology in Africa. This is compounded by the high cost of 5G services and compatible smartphones, with the average price of these devices around $150.

Isaac K. Kassouwi