{"id":23261,"date":"2025-06-19T15:47:42","date_gmt":"2025-06-19T14:47:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/?p=23261"},"modified":"2025-06-25T15:52:43","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T14:52:43","slug":"false-sierra-leone-did-not-launch-west-africas-first-5g-mobile-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/false-sierra-leone-did-not-launch-west-africas-first-5g-mobile-network\/","title":{"rendered":"False! Sierra Leone did not launch West Africa’s first 5G mobile network \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Claim:<\/strong> Sierra Leone\u2019s Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE) \u2014 via its official Facebook page<\/a>, claimed that Sierra Leone has launched West Africa’s \u2018first\u2019 5G mobile service provider \u2014 One Mobile Network.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Verdict: <\/strong>False. DUBAWA\u2019s investigation result indicates that Sierra Leone is not the first West African nation to launch a \u201cstandalone 5G mobile service network.\u201d Togo<\/a> and Ghana<\/a> have since launched 5G mobile networks, preceded by Sierra Leone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full Text <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE) via its official Facebook page<\/a>, asserted that Sierra Leone is the \u2018first\u2019 West African nation to launch a \u201cstandalone 5G Mobile service provider \u2013 One Mobile\u201d for its citizens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acknowledged as a significant internet development for the country, most Sierra Leoneans have since expressed skepticism over the quality of the acclaimed 5G mobile network launched by the country\u2019s Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE) in June this year (2025). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The message on the Ministry\u2019s Facebook page reads,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe launch of Sierra Leone\u2019s and West Africa\u2019s first 5G standalone mobile service provider, One Mobile.  We are positioning the nation at the forefront of regional digital transformation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hence, the post strongly indicated that Sierra Leone has become the first West African state to deploy a \u201c5G mobile network or technology\u201d ahead of its counterparts, including Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Liberia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Comments by some Facebook users<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comments by some Facebook users<\/a> on the ministry\u2019s page regarding the tech development have been mixed. Some expressed feelings concerning the launch of Sierra Leone\u2019s and West Africa\u2019s first-ever \u201c5G mobile service provider.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sahr Matturi <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah. Sierra Leone is now a member of a nation with very fast internet services. 5G technology facilitates the rapid downloading and uploading of data. It provides notably quicker connection speeds. Kudos to the Julius Maada Bio administration and One Mobile!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Abdulai <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCongratulations, one mobile. This is the way to go.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the commendations heaped on the government for introducing a \u201c5G mobile network or internet\u201d for citizens, many commentators viewed the development as a \u2018cosmetic internet development.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few of the comments:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bangura Mohamed Lamin<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWuna make leh D 3G steady fos ba, before wuna launch d 5G. Because we not get 4 G. You mean 5 Gallon. You guys are really comedians.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bogdan Hanga <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHahahah funny, Sierra Leone barely has 3G.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Journalist S Tarawally<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c4G nor better than wunna go lunch 5G ooo salone \u2013 Fake government!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, is the claim that Sierra Leone is the first West African nation to introduce a 5G mobile network true? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Due to the claim’s significance and the page’s approximately 87,000 followers<\/a>, DUBAWA decided to verify the assertion in the public’s interest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Verification <\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Togo and Ghana launched a 5G network before Sierra Leone  <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

DUBAWA\u2019s investigations regarding the viral claim that Sierra Leone was the \u2018first\u2019 to launch a 5G mobile network within the West African region proved the contrary. The West African nations, including Togo and Ghana, have since launched 5G<\/strong> mobile<\/strong> networks\/technology<\/strong>, before Sierra Leone, which only launched a 5G network in June 2025. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Togolese<\/strong> <\/strong>Axian mobile company launched West Africa\u2019s first 5G mobile network <\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Axian, a Togolese mobile service provider, launched West Africa\u2019s first-ever 5G network in November 2020, making the small West African country the third 5G network user in Africa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ex-President Nana Akufo-Addo launched a 5G network for Ghanaians <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The former president of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, sometime in November 2024, officially launched Ghana’s \u201c5G mobile\/internet network for Ghanians.\u201d<\/a> Stories from the launch can be found here<\/a> and here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement via Ghana\u2019s Web TV<\/a>, he noted that the 5G network represents a significant step towards advancing Ghana’s internet connection solution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

DUBAWA\u2019s efforts to get a comment from staff at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE) regarding the viral Facebook post proved unsuccessful. As of the time of publication, the staff had not responded.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

DUBAWA’s investigation proved that Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s claim that it was the first West African nation to launch a \u201c5G mobile network\u201d is false.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Claim: Sierra Leone\u2019s Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE) \u2014 via its official Facebook page, claimed that Sierra Leone has launched West Africa’s \u2018first\u2019 5G mobile service provider \u2014 One Mobile Network. Verdict: False. DUBAWA\u2019s investigation result indicates that Sierra Leone is not the first West African nation to launch a \u201cstandalone 5G mobile service network.\u201d Togo and Ghana have since launched 5G mobile networks, preceded by Sierra Leone. Full Text  Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE) via its official Facebook page, asserted that Sierra Leone is the \u2018first\u2019 West African nation to launch a \u201cstandalone 5G Mobile service provider \u2013 One Mobile\u201d for its citizens.  Acknowledged as a significant internet development for the country, most Sierra Leoneans have since expressed skepticism over the quality of the acclaimed 5G mobile network launched by the country\u2019s Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE) in June this year (2025).  The message on the Ministry\u2019s Facebook page reads, \u201cThe launch of Sierra Leone\u2019s and West Africa\u2019s first 5G standalone mobile service provider, One Mobile.  We are positioning the nation at the forefront of regional digital transformation.\u201d Hence, the post strongly indicated that Sierra Leone has become the first West African state to deploy a \u201c5G mobile network or technology\u201d ahead of its counterparts, including Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Liberia. Comments by some Facebook users Comments by some Facebook users on the ministry\u2019s page regarding the tech development have been mixed. Some expressed feelings concerning the launch of Sierra Leone\u2019s and West Africa\u2019s first-ever \u201c5G mobile service provider.\u201d Sahr Matturi  \u201cYeah. Sierra Leone is now a member of a nation with very fast internet services. 5G technology facilitates the rapid downloading and uploading of data. It provides notably quicker connection speeds. Kudos to the Julius Maada Bio administration and One Mobile!\u201d  John Abdulai  \u201cCongratulations, one mobile. This is the way to go.\u201d  Despite the commendations heaped on the government for introducing a \u201c5G mobile network or internet\u201d for citizens, many commentators viewed the development as a \u2018cosmetic internet development.\u2019 Here are a few of the comments: Bangura Mohamed Lamin \u201cWuna make leh D 3G steady fos ba, before wuna launch d 5G. Because we not get 4 G. You mean 5 Gallon. You guys are really comedians.\u201d   Bogdan Hanga  \u201cHahahah funny, Sierra Leone barely has 3G.\u201d Journalist S Tarawally \u201c4G nor better than wunna go lunch 5G ooo salone \u2013 Fake government!\u201d But, is the claim that Sierra Leone is the first West African nation to introduce a 5G mobile network true?  Due to the claim’s significance and the page’s approximately 87,000 followers, DUBAWA decided to verify the assertion in the public’s interest.  Verification  Togo and Ghana launched a 5G network before Sierra Leone   DUBAWA\u2019s investigations regarding the viral claim that Sierra Leone was the \u2018first\u2019 to launch a 5G mobile network within the West African region proved the contrary. The West African nations, including Togo and Ghana, have since launched 5G mobile networks\/technology, before Sierra Leone, which only launched a 5G network in June 2025.  Togolese Axian mobile company launched West Africa\u2019s first 5G mobile network  Axian, a Togolese mobile service provider, launched West Africa\u2019s first-ever 5G network in November 2020, making the small West African country the third 5G network user in Africa.  Ex-President Nana Akufo-Addo launched a 5G network for Ghanaians  The former president of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, sometime in November 2024, officially launched Ghana’s \u201c5G mobile\/internet network for Ghanians.\u201d Stories from the launch can be found here and here. In a statement via Ghana\u2019s Web TV, he noted that the 5G network represents a significant step towards advancing Ghana’s internet connection solution.  DUBAWA\u2019s efforts to get a comment from staff at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE) regarding the viral Facebook post proved unsuccessful. As of the time of publication, the staff had not responded.    Conclusion  DUBAWA’s investigation proved that Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s claim that it was the first West African nation to launch a \u201c5G mobile network\u201d is false.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23262,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"hannibal_claim_source":"","hannibal_source_label":"","hannibal_card_color":"blue","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_bluesky_share_type":"","_mastodon_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[1268,1571,4,3812,3815],"tags":[],"verdict":[],"ppma_author":[3442],"class_list":["post-23261","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sierra-leone","category-fact-check","category-featured","category-headline","category-homepage"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8R6dE-63b","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":3442,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"fayia-j-moseray","display_name":"Fayia J. 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