Exploring 5G Technology in Africa

Welcome to your course on Exploring 5G Technology in Africa!

5G is not just faster 4G. It is the moment two technology trends, wireless and computing, finally converge, and the moment Africa gains a credible path to closing its broadband gap. This focused course gives you the structured language to argue for, or against, a 5G investment in your context.

The curriculum walks you from the technical fundamentals of 5G through the economic opportunity it represents for the continent, the ecosystem of players and infrastructure required to deliver it, and the use cases that matter most for African priorities. It then confronts the implementation challenges head on, and finishes with a project that asks you to pick a real local use case and stress-test it.

By mastering these concepts, you will be equipped to assess where, and whether, 5G makes sense in your own national context.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Explain the technical fundamentals of 5G and how it differs from earlier mobile generations.
• Analyse the economic opportunity 5G represents for Africa and the ecosystem required to realise it.
• Identify the use cases that matter most for African priorities across key sectors.
• Evaluate the implementation challenges and stress-test a real 5G use case in your own context.

Who is this course for?

This course is designed for policymakers, regulators, and ICT professionals across Africa. It is highly beneficial for individuals who are:

• Involved in national broadband, spectrum, or mobile-network policy and planning.
• Seeking to evaluate the business and policy case for 5G investment in their context.
• Responsible for aligning connectivity strategy with national digital and economic priorities.