The Nigerian Communications Commission has called for increased investment in telecommunications infrastructure as Nigeria’s data consumption surged by almost 47 per cent within one year.
The NCC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Aminu Maida, made the call on Tuesday at the opening of the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum in Abuja.
The forum, organised in partnership with Swedfund and Ookla, brought together government officials, investors, development finance institutions and telecommunications operators to explore financing opportunities for Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
Maida disclosed that Nigerians consumed approximately 1.66 million terabytes of data in July 2026, compared with 1.13 million terabytes recorded in July 2025.
He said the increase represented almost 47 per cent growth in data consumption within 12 months, warning that sustained investment would be required to prevent infrastructure from falling behind rapidly rising demand.
“We can see the demand in our figures. Nigerians consumed about 1.66 million terabytes of data in July this year, up from 1.13 million a year earlier. That is an increase of almost 47 per cent in twelve months.
“Keeping pace will require sustained investment, both to expand networks and to improve the experience of people already connected,” Maida said.
The NCC boss said pressure on telecommunications infrastructure would continue to intensify as the adoption of cloud computing and artificial intelligence expanded across businesses and other sectors of the economy.
According to him, reliable connectivity is increasingly becoming essential to both businesses and consumers, making investment in digital infrastructure critical to Nigeria’s economic development.
Maida said the commission had introduced measures aimed at improving the investment climate, including the 2025 tariff adjustment, which he said addressed some of the financial pressures facing telecommunications operators and strengthened their capacity to invest.
He also cited the Federal Government’s designation of telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure, as well as ongoing engagement with state governments over Right of Way, as measures designed to protect telecom assets and reduce deployment costs.
The NCC chief executive further disclosed that the regulator was deploying network performance data and consumer complaints to identify service deficiencies and determine areas requiring additional investment.
“We are making evidence-based decision-making central to how we regulate. For investors, that should mean a clearer understanding of where the opportunities lie and greater confidence in the basis for our decisions,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, described digital connectivity as economic infrastructure critical to trade, investment and national development.
Oduwole disclosed that the telecommunications sector accounted for more than nine per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product in the first quarter of 2026.
She added that mobile technologies and services contributed about $240bn to Africa’s economy in 2025, underscoring the growing economic significance of digital infrastructure across the continent.
The minister also revealed that Nigeria currently has more than 25 data centres either operational or under construction.
She identified data centres, cloud services, fibre infrastructure, broadband, fintech, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and digital logistics as areas with significant investment opportunities.
“For investors, the message is straightforward: Nigeria is not approaching digital connectivity simply as a social infrastructure requirement. It is an investable economic opportunity,” Oduwole said.
She, however, stressed the need for policy predictability and stronger regulatory coordination to attract and sustain investment in the sector.
Also speaking, the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Anna Westerholm, said Nigeria still faced gaps in coverage, service quality, affordability and supporting infrastructure despite progress recorded in expanding connectivity.
Westerholm said the real value of data lay beyond consumption, stressing its importance in supporting better decisions and directing investments to areas of greatest need.
“Data should not be the end point. Its real value comes when we use it to make better decisions and turn those decisions into action,” she said.
Representing the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, the Director of the National Frequency Management Council Secretariat, Adetunji Adeyemo, said the government could not single-handedly finance Nigeria’s growing digital infrastructure requirements.
Adeyemo therefore called for stronger public-private partnerships, innovative financing models and greater involvement of development finance institutions.
He said reliable and transparent data would enable investors to identify demand, assess market opportunities and develop projects capable of delivering both commercial returns and developmental benefits.
“Good investment decisions require good data. Reliable and transparent data can help investors identify and filter asset demand, understand market opportunities, and develop projects that are both commercially viable and developmental,” he said.
The development comes amid increasing reliance on telecommunications networks for financial transactions, education, commerce, government services, remote work, digital entertainment and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence..
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