Nigeria’s internet consumption surged to an all-time high of 1.24 million terabytes in November 2025, the Nigerian Communications Commission has disclosed, underscoring the country’s deepening reliance on digital connectivity for business, education and entertainment.
Latest industry data released by the telecoms regulator showed that the figure rose slightly from 1.235 million terabytes recorded in October, continuing a steady upward trend driven by expanding mobile broadband access and rising data demand nationwide.
Industry analysts attributed the growth to increased smartphone penetration, wider deployment of 3G and 4G networks, limited rollout of 5G services in major cities, and Nigerians’ growing appetite for video streaming, online learning, social media and remote work platforms.
The NCC data further revealed that broadband penetration climbed to 50.58 per cent in November, marking a significant improvement from 45.61 per cent in January 2025.
Despite the progress, the figure remains below the 70 per cent target set in the National Broadband Plan (2020–2025), which officially expires this month.
As of November, Nigeria recorded approximately 109 million broadband subscriptions, although growth across the sector has remained uneven. Industry stakeholders have repeatedly blamed infrastructure gaps, high deployment costs and regulatory bottlenecks for the slow pace of expansion.
Frequent vandalism of fibre-optic cables, which reportedly causes between 30 and 43 network cuts daily, alongside high right-of-way charges imposed by some state governments, has continued to disrupt service delivery and discourage fresh investments.
Telecom operators have also struggled with declining subscriber numbers earlier in the year, rising operational costs and foreign exchange pressures, which have affected network upgrades and rural expansion.
Nevertheless, investments in the National Communications Backbone, combined with private-sector infrastructure projects, have helped improve connectivity, particularly in previously underserved communities.
The NCC maintained that sustained investments in mobile networks and broadband infrastructure would be critical to driving further growth, improving digital inclusion and unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s digital economy.
The commission stressed that while progress has been recorded, achieving universal broadband access will require stronger collaboration between government, regulators and private operators to address infrastructure protection, funding and policy challenges.
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