NCC warns Nigeria's data consumption jumps 47% as networks struggle to keep pace
The Nigerian Communications Commission reports Nigeria consumed 1.6 million terabytes of data in July 2026—a 47% year-on-year surge—revealing demand is outpacing existing network capacity. This comes from the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum held in Abuja September 29-30, where NCC also noted telecommunications subscriptions (currently 195 million) could reach 350 million in 10-15 years, further straining infrastructure.
The thing is, despite 90% mobile broadband coverage, usage gaps persist: smartphone ownership stands at just 27% and broadband penetration at 57.4% (below the 70% national target). The NCC stressed that barriers go beyond coverage—pointing to device affordability, digital skills deficits, trust issues, unreliable power supply, and inadequate middle-mile connectivity as key constraints limiting equitable access to digital services, which contributed 9.72% to Nigeria's real GDP in Q2 2026.
Here's the deal: Forum participants urged accelerated delivery of Project BRIDGE (the 90,000-km national fibre backbone), improved electricity reliability for telecom infrastructure, harmonized Right of Way charges, and promotion of locally manufactured affordable devices. They also recommended securing funding within six months for renewable-powered rural networks and establishing telecommunications power financing frameworks within 18-24 months to bridge these interconnected gaps.