Why my code still hates the 5G waiting game

I’m tired of optimizing images to the point of pixelation just because half my user base is stuck on a connection that feels like it’s powered by a dying generator. Every time I see news about 5G auctions in Nigeria, I get a bit hopeful, but the latest update on Globacom being barred from the 5G table because of debt to the NCC is a massive reality check.

For those of us building products, this isn't just a corporate squabble. It’s a bottleneck. When a major player like Glo gets sidelined, it means a huge chunk of people—the guys running businesses in the heart of Onitsha or the students trying to learn to code in Akure—are going to be lagging behind. Literally.

As a dev, I want to build heavy, interactive, real-time stuff. I want to stop worrying if a 2MB payload is going to trigger a "Sapa" moment for someone’s data balance. But if the infrastructure isn't expanding because of unpaid bills and regulatory blocks, my tech stack stays "lite" forever. We talk about 5G like it’s a luxury, but for the local tech ecosystem, it’s the difference between a seamless web app and a "Please wait... loading" spinner that never ends.

Then there’s the 9mobile rebranding. I’ve seen the livestreams. It looks shiny, sure. But as someone who has lived through enough "rebrands" in the Nigerian space, I’m more interested in the backend. Is the tenacity they’re talking about going to translate into better uptime? Because "No gree for anybody" should also apply to dropped calls and weird data disappearances.

MTN is leading the pack on social media, hitting 3 million fans, which is great for their marketing team. But while they’re winning the popularity contest, I’m looking at the board composition and wondering if having a room full of ex-regulators is actually helping the market move faster or just keeping the status quo comfortable. We need competition that actually works. We need Glo to get their act together and pay those NCC fees so they can join the auction.

I remember a cold morning in Jos, trying to push a hotfix on a patchy connection. That frustration is what drives me to keep tabs on this. We can’t build a world-class tech hub if our primary internet providers are stuck in the 2010s debt cycle.

Dynamic billing is another conversation getting some heat lately. Teniola and others are pushing for it to protect consumers. I’m all for it. If my data isn't delivering the speed promised, why should I pay full price? If I’m in a chaotic bus park in Owerri and the signal is trash, my wallet shouldn't be penalized for the carrier's failure.

We need to stop celebrating "rebrands" and "fan counts" and start demanding the pipes that actually let us build. My code is ready for the future; I just wish the infrastructure would catch up.