Eliminating the Digital Divide in Nigeria: Policy Direction and 5G Deployment Methodology

Access to mobile broadband is key to eliminating the digital divide. This paper reviews the state of mobile broadband access in Nigeria and examines some government policies aimed at closing the digital divide. Based on the access and backhaul infrastructure available in the country, a model for the deployment of 5G services in urban, suburban and rural environments is developed. This was achieved using the ETSI pathloss model for different propagation environments and two candidate 5G frequencies. Cell dimensioning was limited to the macro-cell level and network coverage was determined using the layout of a typical Nigerian city. A cost comparison based on two deployment options was carried out and it was found that the major cost items for 5G network rollout include the cost of laying fibre optic cables, right of way levies, and the cost of radio equipment. It has been recommended that a phased 5G network rollout starting from operational fibre optic and microwave node locations and following the presented model could help to speedily eliminate the digital divide in the country.