Nigeria’s data demand soared 47% in 1 year –NCC

…Seeks more investment to meet rising demand

From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has revealed that the country’s appetite for internet services continues to grow, with monthly data usage climbing to 1.66 million terabytes in July 2026, up from 1.13 million terabytes a year earlier, representing a 47 per cent increase.

Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening of the first Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum.

Maida said the sharp increase in data consumption underscored the need for sustained investment in telecommunications infrastructure to expand network capacity and improve the quality of services for existing users.

He noted that the demand for reliable connectivity was growing as more Nigerians, businesses and institutions depended on digital services for payments, education, commerce and other activities.

According to him, the growing adoption of cloud services and artificial intelligence would further deepen Nigerians’ dependence on reliable connectivity.

“Keeping pace will require sustained investment, both to expand networks and to improve the experience of people already connected,” he said.

The NCC boss said the commission had been working to improve the conditions required to attract and sustain investment in the telecommunications sector.

He cited the 2025 tariff adjustment as one of the measures that addressed financial pressures on operators and their capacity to invest, while noting that the adjustment came with an expectation of improved service delivery to consumers.

Maida also said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s designation of telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure had strengthened the basis for protecting critical telecom assets.

He added that the commission’s engagement with state governments on Right of Way issues was helping to address the cost of deploying telecommunications infrastructure.

The NCC CEO stressed the importance of regulatory certainty to investors, saying investors needed confidence in how rules would be applied and decisions made.

He said the commission was therefore making evidence-based decision-making central to its regulatory approach, with the aim of giving investors a clearer understanding of opportunities and the factors affecting investment.

Maida said the NCC’s collaboration with Swedfund and Ookla was providing independent insight into the connectivity experience of Nigerians.

He added that the commission combined Ookla’s data with other network and market information to identify service gaps and areas requiring closer investment assessment.

According to him, the NCC’s Consumer Data Lab, funded by the Gates Foundation and developed in collaboration with Innovations for Poverty Action, was another initiative helping the commission to better understand connectivity challenges.

He said the lab had brought together Ookla’s data, consumer complaints and information on interventions by operators in a dashboard that enables the NCC to examine service issues by location and demographic group.

Maida said the two-day forum would focus on investment opportunities across Nigeria and the financing and partnerships required to develop them.

He noted that while some projects might be ready for commercial investment, others would require further project preparation, shared infrastructure or development finance.

He urged participants to identify projects and discuss the challenges preventing them from moving forward.

“This helps us investigate service problems and assess whether operators’ interventions have improved consumers’ experience. It also gives us a more useful picture of where further deployment or network upgrades may be needed.

“Nigeria’s next phase of growth will depend on how well we connect our people and businesses,” Maida said, adding that investments in connectivity should make it easier for Nigerians to earn a living, learn and access essential services.

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