By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Monthly mobile data usage in Nigeria rose by about 140 percent between January 2023 and November 2025, climbing from roughly 518,000 terabytes to more than 1.23 million terabytes, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said, citing growing digital adoption and expanded network deployment across the country.
The regulator disclosed this in its New Year message, released in Nigeria, where it warned that the sharp rise in data consumption is placing increased pressure on telecom networks nationwide.
According to the NCC, the surge in usage is being driven by higher smartphone penetration, broader broadband access and expanding digital services.
However, the commission noted that the growing demand has also exposed persistent weaknesses in network quality, with many subscribers still facing inconsistent service, congestion in high-traffic areas, outages caused by power challenges and infrastructure damage, as well as slow resolution of customer complaints.
At the same time, telecom operators continue to battle structural challenges that affect service delivery. These include rising operating costs, energy and logistics constraints, right-of-way issues, and the persistent vandalism and theft of telecommunications infrastructure.
“These realities affect both the pace of expansion and the quality of service delivery,”
the NCC said.
Despite these challenges, the commission reported measurable progress across the sector over the past year. Broadband subscriptions increased to 109.6 million in December 2025, up from 96.3 million in December 2024, reflecting renewed investment momentum by operators.
The NCC said this growth was driven by expanded network rollout, with operators deploying more than 2,800 new and upgraded sites nationwide during the year. As a result, broadband penetration improved from 44.43 percent in December 2024 to 50.58 percent by December 2025.
Network performance also recorded notable gains. While service quality is not yet optimal in all locations, the commission said median 4G mobile download speeds rose by about 24 percent, increasing from roughly 16 megabits per second (Mbps) to 20 Mbps. In addition, average 4G download speeds improved by 18 percent, rising from about 28 Mbps to 33 Mbps.
The NCC noted that 4G remains the dominant broadband technology in Nigeria, accounting for about 52 percent of mobile connections and serving as the clearest indicator of the everyday internet experience for most users.
It added that 4G population coverage has stabilised at about 85 percent, while 5G coverage has expanded to roughly 13 percent of the population and continues to grow.
Looking ahead, the commission said Nigerians should expect improvements in service delivery in 2026. These include better voice quality, more consistent data performance, fewer avoidable service disruptions, quicker restoration during outages and prompt refunds for failed recharges.
The NCC also promised simpler and more transparent tariffs, a safer and more resilient internet ecosystem, and continued network expansion, especially in underserved and unserved communities.
On quality of service and network resilience, the regulator said it will intensify monitoring, strengthen major incident reporting and implement measures to improve network availability, particularly in congested areas and persistent black spots.
“We will reinforce tariff transparency, billing accuracy, customer care standards and protections against misleading practices,” the commission said, adding that consumers will also receive more consistent public communication during major service incidents.
The NCC further announced plans to operationalise a revised Corporate Governance Code for the communications sector in 2026, aimed at strengthening board and management accountability and improving overall operator performance.
While acknowledging telecom operators as the drivers of investment and innovation, the commission said it would not hesitate to hold them accountable.
“The consumer’s experience must improve,” the NCC said.
Operators were urged to invest more in network expansion and resilience, reduce avoidable outages, simplify tariffs, improve customer care, protect telecom infrastructure and comply fully with corporate governance and regulatory obligations.
In return, the commission assured operators of fair, transparent and non-discriminatory regulation, improved regulatory efficiency, structured stakeholder engagement and firm enforcement where persistent non-compliance occurs.
