Enextgen Ranks MTN, Airtel Glo and 9mobile Mobile Broadband Quality in Abuja

Fresh independent testing by Enextgen Wireless Limited has ranked MTN Nigeria as the leader in mobile broadband quality and internet experience in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), outperforming rivals Airtel, Globacom, and 9Mobile across major data and voice quality metrics, Techeconomy can report.

Internet user

The assessment, conducted on August 27, 2025, forms part of Enextgen’s National Independent Wireless Broadband Quality Reporting (NIWBQR) initiative, which evaluates 4G LTE and 5G network performance nationwide.

The tests were carried out along key routes in Abuja using Enextgen’s proprietary EMETRICS platform, combining field data from its Enextlog app with post-processing on AWS Cloud.

MTN Dominates Key Data Performance Indicators

According to the report, MTN consistently outperformed competitors across all major Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including throughput, latency, and internet access success rate.

Source: Enextgen 

Enextgen noted that MTN’s 5G network achieved an average packet latency of 79 milliseconds and an internet access success rate of 99.79%, the best among all tested networks.

In contrast, 9Mobile’s network experienced access issues during parts of the test, with connectivity dropping around 11:40 a.m., which significantly affected its overall performance metrics.

Voice Quality: MTN and 9Mobile Ahead

Voice call testing, covering 1,000 calls per operator, revealed that MTN and 9Mobile achieved the highest call setup success rates (CSSR) and lowest drop rates, while Airtel recorded the highest blocked call rate.

Source: Enextgen

The report also highlighted that Globacom still relies on Circuit Switched Fallback (CSFB) for voice calls, an older technology that switches users from 4G to 2G or 3G for calls, often causing slower call setup and interrupted data sessions.

MTN, Airtel, and 9Mobile, however, use Voice over LTE (VoLTE), which delivers faster call connections and higher call quality.

Technical Evaluation and Broader Significance

The report’s measurements focused on signal quality parameters such as Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR), and Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ).

In these radio-frequency (RF) categories, MTN’s 5G network achieved the strongest results, with average RSRP at -86 dBm, RSRQ at -11 dB, and SINR of 12 dB, signaling a robust and well-optimized deployment.

Enextgen emphasized that such performance data helps operators identify coverage gaps, improve customer experience, and reduce reliance on foreign consultants for network optimization, a challenge that often delays fixes and raises operating costs for Nigerian telecoms.

“Our platform enables local operators to diagnose and address quality issues using indigenous expertise rather than waiting for expensive foreign interventions,” according to the report endorsed by Engr. Aderemi Adeyeye, the President/CEO of Enex Inc.

Enextgen and NIWBQR

Founded in 2016, Enextgen Wireless Limited specializes in mobile broadband quality monitoring and network benchmarking. Its NIWBQR program provides independent public reporting on mobile network quality across Nigeria, focusing on 4G LTE and emerging 5G networks.

Results and live dashboards from the study are publicly available here.

Conclusion

The Abuja benchmarking confirms MTN’s dominance in both 4G and 5G broadband quality, as well as its leadership in voice service reliability.

While Airtel and Glo showed moderate performance, 9Mobile’s connectivity lapses underscored the importance of consistent network maintenance and monitoring.

With 5G adoption expanding and competition intensifying, Enextgen’s independent evaluations provide a data-driven benchmark for improving mobile broadband quality, a crucial factor for Nigeria’s digital economy.

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