The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has released an industry report revealing that national data consumption surged to approximately 13.2 million terabytes (TB) in 2025. This represents a staggering 35% increase from the 9.76 million TB recorded in 2024, signaling a profound shift in the country’s digital habits despite broader macroeconomic challenges.
The latest statistics, published this week, highlight a relentless upward trajectory in internet traffic across mobile, fixed-wired, and broadband networks. Since the NCC began its systematic monthly tracking in January 2023, the volume of data flowing through Nigerian networks has nearly doubled, rising from 7.27 million TB just two years ago.
The Numbers Behind the Surge
According to the Commission, the momentum intensified throughout 2025. Between January and November alone, Nigerians consumed 11.86 million TB, already surpassing the total volume for the entirety of 2024.
This puts the average daily data usage at over 41,000 TB, placing what analysts describe as “unprecedented pressure” on the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure. The report also identified a clear seasonal peak in December, with data traffic typically jumping by 10–11% as holiday-goers engage in heavy streaming, video calling, and social media activity.
Key Growth Drivers
Industry experts and the NCC point to a “perfect storm” of factors driving this appetite for data:
- Video Content & Streaming: The explosion of short-form video content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, alongside high-definition streaming on Netflix and YouTube, remains the primary driver of bandwidth depletion.
- Fintech & Digital Commerce: The steady digitalization of the Nigerian economy has made data the “lifeblood” of daily transactions, from mobile banking to e-commerce.
- Broadband Penetration: In a significant milestone, broadband penetration crossed the 50% mark in November 2025, reaching 50.58% (109.6 million subscribers).
- Infrastructure Investment: Operators deployed over 2,800 new sites in 2025, strengthening 4G coverage to approximately 85% of the population and expanding the 5G footprint to 13%.
“Data is the New Oxygen”
Speaking on the report’s findings, Dinesh Balsingh, CEO of Airtel Nigeria, emphasized the critical nature of connectivity in urban centers.
“Cities like Lagos are growing at lightning speed more people, more businesses, more devices. We recognize that data is the new oxygen. That is why we are investing heavily in 5G and fiber to build a smart, scalable network that can carry the weight of Nigeria’s digital future.”
Echoing this sentiment, telecom analyst Osita Odafi noted that data consumption has become a reliable proxy for broader economic activity. “The surge reflects how streaming, cloud computing, and fintech are rapidly redefining how Nigerians live and work,” Odafi said.
Infrastructure Under Pressure
While the growth presents a massive revenue opportunity for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), it also exposes the fragility of current infrastructure. The NCC’s New Year message acknowledged that many consumers still face inconsistent service quality, congestion in high-traffic areas, and outages linked to fiber cuts or power challenges.
The average 4G download speed in Nigeria has climbed to 33 Mbps, placing the country ahead of many regional peers. However, the NCC maintains that sustaining this growth will require the rapid execution of the 90,000-kilometer national fiber rollout under Project BRIDGE to reach underserved rural communities.
The Cost of Connectivity
Interestingly, the surge in usage comes despite a 50% tariff adjustment earlier in 2025. While the price hike initially caused a brief dip in the subscriber base, usage patterns recovered quickly. Data revenue for major players like MTN Nigeria and Airtel has climbed significantly, with MTN reporting that average usage per subscriber now sits at 13.2 GB per month.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The NCC has pledged that its regulatory focus for 2026 will center on Quality of Experience (QoE). Executive Vice Chairman Aminu Maida has indicated that the commission will move beyond mere “connectivity” metrics to focus on “reliability,” ensuring that the 142 million active data users get value for their money.
As Nigeria marches toward its goal of a $1 trillion digital economy, the 13.2 million TB benchmark serves as both a trophy of digital adoption and a warning: the pipelines of the future must be built today to prevent a bottleneck tomorrow.
