The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has warned that Nigeria’s rapidly rising data demand is putting increasing pressure on existing telecommunications networks, urging greater investment in digital infrastructure to keep pace with consumption.
The warning was contained in a communiqué issued on Sunday after the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum held in Abuja.
According to the NCC and other participants, Nigeria consumed about 1.6 million terabytes of data in July 2026, representing an increase of almost 47 per cent in 12 months.
The forum participants also projected that telecommunications subscriptions could rise from about 195 million to 350 million within the next 10 to 15 years, while emerging technologies such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence are expected to further increase demand for network capacity, data centres and reliable power supply.
The forum, convened by the NCC in partnership with Swedfund and Ookla, also highlighted the gap between mobile broadband coverage and actual usage
The communiqué noted that mobile broadband currently covers about 90 per cent of Nigerians, while smartphone ownership stands at about 27 per cent and broadband penetration at 57.4 per cent, below the 70 per cent target
It identified device affordability, digital skills and trust as major constraints, stressing that expanding network coverage alone would not be enough to close the digital access gap.
Participants therefore urged telecommunications operators and infrastructure companies to combine coverage investments with measures that would make affordable devices available to more Nigerians, including locally manufactured devices and SIMs.
On financing, the forum called for longer-term funding arrangements for digital infrastructure, noting that such assets typically have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years and therefore require financing that matches their investment cycle.
The participants urged investors and development finance institutions to provide long-tenor naira capital for digital infrastructure and link funding to independently verified network performance.
They also identified power supply and inland connectivity as major challenges to network expansion, calling for energy and connectivity investments to be planned together.
The forum further recommended recognising tower clusters as anchor off-takers for distributed power generation to support telecommunications infrastructure.
Participants also called on the Federal Government to accelerate Project BRIDGE, the proposed 90,000-kilometre national fibre backbone, to address connectivity gaps between major networks and local access points.
State governments were equally urged to reduce and harmonise Right of Way (RoW) and site permit charges while shortening approval timelines.
According to the communiqué, 12 states now charge zero Right of Way fees, up from seven in December 2024.
The NCC said it would continue engaging stakeholders on the investment and deployment measures agreed at the forum as Nigeria seeks to expand digital infrastructure and meet the country’s rapidly growing demand for data services.
