5G started fast in Morocco, but network speeds have fallen sharply in the first six months, according to a new Ookla report. Download speeds reached 261.7 Mbps on the first day of the 5G launch. The average speed during the first month was 266.94 Mbps, around six times faster than 4G.
Speeds then fell by about 38%, reaching between 160 Mbps and 165 Mbps.
The drop was the biggest recorded in North Africa in the period covered by the report.
The network also attracted users quickly. About 2.63 million people were active 5G subscribers just two months after the launch.
Outdoor 5G coverage reached 38% of the population. The National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT) wants operators to increase this to 45% by the end of 2026.
The coverage target is part of preparations for major events, including the Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 Fifa World Cup.
Why are speeds falling?
The main problem is the way the 5G network is built.
The three operators — Maroc Telecom, Orange Morocco and Inwi — launched 5G using 3.5 GHz spectrum and a system known as Non-Standalone (NSA).
NSA 5G uses the existing 4G core network. As more people use 5G, the older infrastructure has to handle more traffic.
This can create bottlenecks and reduce network speeds.
The report says continued investment in the 4G core and network capacity will be needed as the number of 5G users grows.
A longer-term option is Standalone (SA) 5G. This uses a dedicated 5G core and can handle more traffic without relying on the 4G core.
Algeria started faster
Algeria recorded a much higher speed when it launched 5G.
Its opening speed was 484.6 Mbps, using the same 3.5 GHz spectrum.
Speeds fell to 319.32 Mbps in the fourth month, but later recovered to 374.37 Mbps by the sixth month.
Tunisia saw a similar drop
Tunisia started with an average daily speed of 223.1 Mbps and a monthly average of 217.16 Mbps.
The country has focused heavily on Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), which provides internet access without relying on traditional copper lines.
More than 319,000 FWA subscribers signed up.
Speeds later fell to 152.92 Mbps.
Egypt had slower but steadier 5G
Egypt took a different approach.
It used 2.6 GHz TDD spectrum, with blocks between 20 MHz and 30 MHz.
The result was a launch-day speed of 110.5 Mbps and a first-month average of 106.80 Mbps.
Speeds were much lower than in Morocco and Algeria, but the network remained more stable.
The average stood at about 89 Mbps at the end of the first six months.
5G is expanding across North Africa
The pressure on networks is not limited to Morocco.
More users and higher data use have affected 5G performance across the region.
Libya joined the 5G market in early 2026 through Al-Madar Al-Jadeed in Tripoli.
Mauritania has also issued 5G licences, while Chinguitel launched its service in Nouakchott.
The figures show that launching 5G is only the first step.
Operators now need to add capacity and improve the infrastructure behind the networks.
For Morocco, the challenge will be to keep speeds at a good level while expanding coverage to 45% of the population by the end of 2026.
