The Nigerian Communications Commission is urging investors and telecom operators to expand broadband and power infrastructure after new data showed national internet usage surged nearly 47 percent over the past year.
The demand spike was outlined in a communiqué released at the conclusion of the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum 2026 in Abuja, centered on the theme “Unlocking Infrastructure Investment through Data, Transparency and Partnerships.”
Data presented at the forum showed Nigerians consumed approximately 1.6 million terabytes of data in July 2026 alone—a 47 percent increase over the previous 12 months. Driven by cloud computing and artificial intelligence adoption, total mobile subscriptions are projected to jump from 195 million to 350 million over the next decade, placing severe pressure on existing network assets.
The telecommunications sector contributed 9.72 percent to Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product in the second quarter of 2026, underlining its role as a key growth engine for Africa’s largest economy.
Yet severe access bottlenecks persist. While mobile broadband signals cover 90 percent of the population, smartphone ownership stands at just 27 percent, and national broadband penetration sits at 57.4 percent—well short of the government’s 70 percent target.
Forum delegates attributed the adoption gap to high smartphone prices, limited digital literacy, unreliable power grids, middle-mile transit deficits, and high borrowing costs.
To address the shortfall, stakeholders called for fast-tracking Project BRIDGE—a planned 90,000-kilometer (56,000-mile) national fiber backbone—and urged the government to improve grid stability for telecom sites while maintaining predictable investment policies.
The regulator was urged to finalize its direct-to-device framework, advance open-access wholesale rules, and publish the inaugural Nigeria Digital Connectivity Index, while state governments were asked to reduce Right of Way fees and streamline infrastructure permitting.
