European smart technology firm MediaKing has partnered with Play Network Africa to roll out a large-scale free public Wi-Fi network across key urban centres in Nigeria.
The move marks MediaKing’s entry into Africa’s rapidly expanding digital economy, with plans to deploy between 5,000 and 10,000 high-density hotspots per city, starting with Lagos and Abuja.
The infrastructure will target high-traffic locations such as markets, transport hubs, commercial centres, schools, and hospitals—areas where demand for reliable internet connectivity remains high.
MediaKing’s founder, Darko Kraljevik, said the company’s experience in European cities has proven that large-scale public Wi-Fi can perform efficiently when designed for heavy usage.
“In cities like Split, we deployed across busy public spaces with thousands of users connecting simultaneously. The key is building infrastructure that can handle real urban demand without compromising performance,” he said.
Beyond connectivity, the platform integrates a digital engagement system that allows businesses, institutions, and government agencies to interact directly with users. This model enables the service to remain free for the public while generating revenue through advertising, partnerships, and enterprise solutions.
According to Afam Anyika, the initiative is designed to deliver multi-layered economic benefits.
“This project will create new opportunities for businesses to reach customers, improve institutional communication, and generate jobs through deployment and operations. Over time, it will build a digital ecosystem that supports inclusion and economic growth,” he said.
The company also emphasised its commitment to local capacity development, noting that the Nigerian rollout will include training engineers and creating technical roles tied to network deployment and maintenance.
Industry observers say the partnership signals growing international interest in Nigeria’s tech infrastructure space, as demand for affordable and accessible internet continues to surge across the country.
