Ericsson’s June 2026 Mobility Report states that global 5G mobile subscriptions increased to 3.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026, highlighting the rising demand for advanced connectivity worldwide.
The report, released on Tuesday, showed that 162 million new 5G subscriptions were added during the quarter, pushing global adoption past the three-billion mark. It projects that 5G subscriptions will more than double to 6.4 billion by 2031, as network deployments and device availability continue to expand.
“For Africa, these findings highlight opportunities to accelerate broadband access, digital inclusion, and enterprise connectivity through wider 5G adoption,” the report said.
The Ericsson report aligns with industry data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which reported steady growth in Nigeria’s 5G penetration during the first quarter of 2026.
NCC statistics show that 5G penetration increased to 4.20 percent in March 2026, up from 4.06 percent in February, indicating sustained consumer demand for faster internet speeds and improved network performance. The growth built on the momentum from January, when penetration was 3.94 percent.
The data also revealed that the month-on-month increase reflects the gradual expansion of 5G infrastructure by mobile network operators and rising uptake of 5G-enabled devices.
The Ericsson report noted that about 390 service providers had launched commercial 5G services globally, with over 90 operators deploying 5G Standalone (SA) networks.
By the end of 2025, 5G networks carried 48 percent of global mobile data traffic; this is expected to reach 85 percent by 2031. Regions projected to have the highest adoption include Western Europe, North America, North East Asia, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
However, Africa remains among regions where Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) growth is limited despite significant long-term potential. The report emphasizes that broader deployment of 5G infrastructure and supportive policies could unlock substantial opportunities across the continent.
The report also highlighted increasing commercial adoption of differentiated connectivity services enabled by 5G SA network slicing, which grew from 65 offerings in November 2025 to 84 globally, indicating a shift from early trials to mainstream deployment.
Commenting on the findings, Ericsson’s CTO Erik Ekudden said that mobile networks are evolving into intelligent digital infrastructure. He noted that artificial intelligence embedded in devices, vehicles, and smart cities will transform traffic patterns.
Ekudden added that the growing deployment of 5G SA and network slicing helps operators meet diverse connectivity needs. The report also highlighted rising interest in 5G-powered fixed wireless access, with 71 percent of FWA providers offering services over 5G, up from 57 percent a year earlier.
Similarly, 57 percent of operators now offer speed-based tariff plans, compared to 51 percent in June 2025. New 5G FWA launches occurred in countries including Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Morocco, Taiwan, Turkey, and Vietnam.
FWA adoption remains strongest in North America, Nordic countries, GCC markets, and parts of Asia. The report observed changing network usage patterns, with uplink traffic growing faster than downlink traffic, driven by collaboration apps, cloud storage, and user-generated content sharing.
Ericsson’s measurements showed that 43 of 55 service providers experienced faster uplink growth, with 17 operators seeing uplink traffic increase more than 1.5 times faster than downlink. The company projects that AI applications could drive uplink traffic to more than three times 2025 levels by 2031.
The report noted that mobile data traffic increased by 22 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, mainly driven by demand in India and North America. It also highlighted ongoing industry interest in 6G, with standardization discussions underway. Expected features include integrated sensing, seamless terrestrial-satellite connectivity, improved coverage, and energy efficiency.
Artificial intelligence is anticipated to be a core element of future 6G networks. Ericsson expects initial 6G specifications to be finalized between late 2028 and early 2029, with commercial deployments starting around 2030, led by the US, China, Japan, South Korea, and GCC countries.
Finally, the report discussed how mobile connectivity supports AI-driven enterprise transformation and the growth of AI-enabled extended reality applications. It included a case study with Qualcomm exploring opportunities for smart glasses and wearable tech powered by AI and advanced networks.
Ericsson emphasized the importance of expanding digital infrastructure investments in Africa to stay competitive in the AI-driven economy.
