Nigeria’s Digital Demand Surges 47% As NCC Calls For More Investment In Fibre, Power

Nigeria’s Digital Demand Surges 47% As NCC Calls For More Investment In Fibre, Power

Nigeria’s appetite for digital services is growing faster than the infrastructure needed to support it, with data consumption rising by nearly half in one year and subscriptions projected to reach 350 million within 10 to 15 years.

The warning formed a key outcome of the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum 2026, convened by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Swedfund and Ookla in Abuja.

The forum, themed “Unlocking Infrastructure Investment through Data, Transparency and Partnerships,” brought together government officials, regulators, investors, development finance institutions, network operators and technology companies.

Participants noted that Nigeria consumed about 1.6 million terabytes of data in July 2026, representing an increase of almost 47 per cent in 12 months.

They also identified unreliable power supply and inadequate middle-mile fibre infrastructure as major constraints to further digital expansion, particularly outside major cities.

According to the communiqué, mobile broadband coverage now reaches about 90 per cent of Nigerians, but smartphone ownership remains at only 27 per cent, while broadband penetration stands at 57.4 per cent against a national target of 70 per cent.

The forum therefore stressed that expanding network coverage alone would not bridge Nigeria’s digital divide, with affordable devices, digital skills and public trust identified as equally important barriers.

Participants also highlighted the economic importance of digital connectivity, noting that telecommunications and information services contributed 9.72 per cent of Nigeria’s real GDP in the second quarter of 2026.

The forum called on the Federal Government to accelerate Project BRIDGE, the planned 90,000-kilometre national fibre backbone, while improving the availability and reliability of electricity for digital infrastructure.

The NCC was urged to advance open-access and wholesale regulation, publish the first national Nigeria Digital Connectivity Index report and finalise its direct-to-device framework.

State governments were also urged to reduce and harmonise Right of Way and site permit charges, while operators were encouraged to expand shared infrastructure and neutral-host models to reduce deployment costs.

The forum further called for long-term naira financing and blended finance models to support digital infrastructure, noting that such assets typically have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years and require financing that matches their long-term nature.

Participants agreed on specific actions ranging from funding renewable-energy-powered rural networks within six months to developing metro and access fibre under concession arrangements within 18 to 24 months.

The NCC said it would sustain engagement with government, investors, financiers and industry stakeholders to advance the agreed investment pathways and close Nigeria’s connectivity gaps.