NCC pushes sustained telecom investment as data consumption surges 47%

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has called for sustained investment in telecommunications infrastructure as data consumption in Nigeria rose by almost 47 per cent year-on-year, intensifying pressure on existing networks.

NCC Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Aminu Maida, disclosed this on Tuesday at the opening of the maiden Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum in Abuja.

Maida said Nigerians consumed about 1.66 million terabytes of data in July 2026, compared with 1.13 million terabytes in July 2025, reflecting the rapidly growing demand for digital connectivity across the country.

He said the surge was being driven by increased reliance on telecommunications services for business, education, financial transactions and access to essential services, with emerging technologies such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence expected to further increase demand.

According to him, the trend makes sustained investment critical, not only to expand network capacity but also to improve the quality of experience for existing subscribers.

Maida said the NCC had introduced measures to create a more sustainable investment environment, including the 2025 tariff adjustment, which he said addressed financial pressures facing operators and their ability to invest, while creating an expectation of improved services.

He also cited the designation of telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as the Commission’s engagement with state governments on Right of Way, as measures aimed at protecting infrastructure and reducing the cost of network deployment.

Maida note that the Commission was also strengthening evidence-based regulation to provide investors with clearer information on market opportunities and improve confidence in regulatory decisions.

He said the Commission’s collaboration with Swedfund and Ookla was providing independent data on Nigerians’ connectivity experience, which is being combined with network and market information to identify service gaps and areas requiring investment.

Maida added that the NCC’s Consumer Data Lab, funded by the Gates Foundation and developed in collaboration with Innovations for Poverty Action, combines Ookla data, consumer complaints and information on operators’ interventions to assess connectivity challenges across locations and demographic groups.

He said the two-day forum would focus on investment opportunities in Nigeria and examine financing models and partnerships needed to develop digital connectivity projects, noting that while some projects were commercially ready, others required project preparation, shared infrastructure or development finance.

“Bring forward the projects you believe in, and tell us what is holding them back,” Maida told participants, urging investors and stakeholders to use the forum to identify practical barriers and agree on actions to accelerate digital connectivity investment.

He said Nigeria’s next phase of economic growth would depend partly on how effectively people and businesses were connected, stressing that digital infrastructure investment should ultimately improve Nigerians’ ability to earn a living, learn and access essential services.