Nigeria’s telecommunications sector added more than 15.4 million active internet subscribers between April 2025 and May 2026, according to new figures released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The growth was driven by fixed line services, internet service providers and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
The NCC report showed that internet users rose from 141.9 million in April 2025 to 157.4 million by May 2026. While operators experienced subscriber losses in mid‑2025, the trend reversed in early 2026, with steady gains recorded each month.
Internet data consumption surged dramatically during the same period.
Total traffic for 2025 closed at 13.25 million terabytes (TB). By the first quarter of 2026, usage reached 4.06 million TB in just 90 days, driven by video streaming, social media, digital payments, e‑commerce, online learning and remote work.
Monthly traffic figures showed a steep upward trajectory: from 983,283 TB in April 2025 to 1.5 million TB in May 2026. The NCC attributed the rise to improved broadband penetration, which increased from 47.7% in 2025 to 54.3% in 2026.
Executive Vice Chairman Sminu Maida said telecom operators invested over $1 billion in network expansion in 2025, deploying thousands of new sites nationwide to improve coverage and service quality.
He described the sector as critical to Nigeria’s economic growth, innovation and social inclusion.
Maida cautioned that increasing reliance on digital infrastructure also brings risks, including cybercrime, online fraud, vandalism and threats to online safety.
He emphasised the need for stronger safeguards to protect users and sustain confidence in Nigeria’s digital economy.
The NCC report underscores the rapid pace of digital adoption in Nigeria, with millions of new subscribers and record‑breaking data usage reflecting the country’s growing dependence on internet‑enabled services.
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