Nigeria’s data consumption hits 1.66m Terabytes as NCC seeks fresh investment

L -R: Vice President, Middle East and Africa OOKLA, Mr. Tristan Muhader; Mr. Tristan Muhader, National Commissioner and CEO, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) , Dr. Vincent Olatunji; Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investments, Hon. Dr. Jumoke Oduwole,CEO Chapel Hill Denham, Mr. Bolaji Bologun; Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Anna Westerholm; Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, during the Nigerian Digital Connectivity Investment Forum, in Abuja

Stanley Ihedigbo

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called for increased public and private sector investment in telecommunications infrastructure to accelerate broadband expansion, improve service quality and strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy.

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, made the call at the maiden Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum, organised by the Commission in collaboration with Swedfund and Ookla in Abuja.

According to the Director, Public Affairs
Nigerian Communications Commission, Nnenna Ukoha, Maida said the forum was designed to bring regulators, investors, infrastructure providers and development partners together to identify investment opportunities, address barriers to infrastructure deployment and develop partnerships capable of accelerating Nigeria’s digital transformation.

He noted that the country’s telecommunications sector had recorded significant growth over the past 25 years, driven by liberalisation, transparent regulation and increased private sector participation.

According to him, the experience demonstrates the importance of maintaining an enabling environment that encourages investment while protecting consumers and promoting fair competition.

“As a regulator, the Commission remains committed to facilitating investment while ensuring consumer protection and promoting fair competition,” he said.

The NCC chief executive explained that rising demand for reliable connectivity, driven by businesses, educational institutions, public services and individual consumers, had increased the need for stronger telecommunications infrastructure.

He added that the growing adoption of cloud computing, digital platforms and artificial intelligence would further intensify demand for robust and resilient networks.

Highlighting the scale of the challenge, Maida disclosed that Nigeria’s data consumption rose from approximately 1.13 million terabytes in July 2025 to 1.66 million terabytes in July 2026, representing an increase of nearly 47 per cent in one year.

He said sustaining the growth would require substantial investment in network expansion, modernisation and service quality improvements.

“The investment challenge before us is not merely one of expanding coverage. It is also about ensuring that those already connected enjoy better service quality, improved user experiences, and infrastructure capable of supporting future technologies,” he said.

Maida listed some measures introduced to support investment in the sector, including the telecommunications tariff adjustment approved in 2025, engagements with state governments over Right of Way charges and processes, and the designation of telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He said the initiatives were intended to reduce deployment barriers, support network investment and strengthen investor confidence.

The NCC boss also emphasised the Commission’s commitment to evidence-based regulation, noting that greater transparency and regulatory certainty would help investors identify opportunities and make informed decisions.

He urged local and international investors, development finance institutions, infrastructure providers and other stakeholders to partner with the Commission to expand digital connectivity across the country.

According to him, investments in the sector must ultimately translate into improved access to essential services, greater economic opportunities and sustainable national development.

Maida commended Swedfund and Ookla for supporting the forum, noting that their collaboration was helping the Commission gain a clearer understanding of network performance and consumers’ connectivity experiences across Nigeria.

He explained that data generated through the partnership was being combined with other market and network information to identify service gaps, monitor performance and determine areas requiring additional infrastructure investment.

The NCC chief executive also highlighted the Commission’s Consumer Data Lab, funded by the Gates Foundation and developed in collaboration with Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA).

He said the platform integrates Ookla’s network performance data, consumer complaints, and operators’ intervention reports into a single dashboard to enable more detailed analysis of connectivity challenges across locations and demographic groups.

The system, he added, helps the Commission assess whether operators’ interventions have improved consumer experience and identify locations where additional network deployment or upgrades may be required.

In her keynote address, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, commended the NCC and its partners for convening the forum, describing digital infrastructure as essential to investment, production and international trade.

Speaking on the theme, “Connectivity and Competitiveness: Digital Infrastructure as a Driver of Investment Climate and Trade,” Oduwole said the quality of a country’s digital infrastructure increasingly determines its investment climate, economic competitiveness and ability to participate in global trade.

She observed that trade was becoming increasingly digital, with private networks, data centres, digital platforms and secure data systems playing critical roles in modern transactions.

The Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Anna Westerholm, also identified gaps in connectivity coverage, service quality, affordability and supporting infrastructure as challenges requiring coordinated action by government, industry and investors.

She said reliable data on network performance and user experience could help identify priority investment areas, reduce uncertainty and improve investor confidence.

Westerholm identified energy supply, cybersecurity and digital skills as important components of a sustainable digital connectivity ecosystem.

She added that Sweden was interested in deepening commercial and investment relations with Nigeria, particularly in digitalisation and connectivity, noting that Swedish institutions and companies could contribute technology, commercial expertise, development finance, export financing and project development support.

Earlier, the Vice President of Sales for the Middle East and Africa at Ookla, Tristan Muhader, said connectivity had evolved beyond calls and internet browsing to become a critical foundation for economic and public activities, including essential services and artificial intelligence.

She said Ookla’s collaboration with the NCC provides independent, crowdsourced data that reveals consumers’ actual connectivity experiences and helps identify where infrastructure investment could have the greatest impact.

According to her, the information could also help authorities assess the effects of network disruptions and verify service recovery, thereby supporting smarter investment decisions and strengthening national digital resilience.

Representing the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, the Director of the National Frequency Management Council, Adetunji Adeyemo, said reliable, affordable, resilient and accessible digital infrastructure was essential to Nigeria’s economic transformation.

He said the Federal Government had identified infrastructure, policy, and innovation, entrepreneurship, and capital as key strategic priorities.

The two-day Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum brought together policymakers, investors, development finance institutions, telecommunications operators, infrastructure providers, technology companies and development partners to explore investment opportunities in Nigeria’s digital connectivity sector.