By Abigail Mbah
Nigeria consumed roughly 1.6 million terabytes of data in July 2026; nearly 47% more than a year earlier, highlighting the growing pressure on the country’s digital infrastructure, according to observations from a major industry forum held in Abuja.
The Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum 2026, organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in partnership with Swedfund and Ookla, brought together government officials, investors, operators and development financiers on 29-30 September.
The event focused on unlocking infrastructure investment through better data, transparency and partnerships.
Participants noted that demand is rapidly outpacing network capacity. Mobile subscriptions currently stand at about 195 million and are projected to climb toward 350 million within the next 10 to 15 years.
Cloud computing and artificial intelligence are expected to drive even higher demand for networks, data centres and reliable power.
Telecommunications and information services already account for 9.72% of Nigeria’s real GDP in the second quarter of 2026.
Across Africa, mobile technology contributed an estimated $240 billion to the economy in 2025. Nigeria’s role as co-champion of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade further positions the country as a potential digital hub for the continent.
Despite these gains, usage remains the bigger challenge. Mobile broadband coverage reaches about 90% of the population, yet smartphone ownership sits at only around 27%. Broadband penetration stands at 57.4%, still short of the 70% national target.
Device affordability, digital skills and trust were identified as the main barriers holding people back from meaningful connectivity.
Power supply and middle-mile connectivity emerged as critical bottlenecks. Tower companies treat energy as a core operational issue rather than a side concern, while high costs of inland connectivity continue to limit data centre and internet service investments largely to major cities.
On a more positive note, state-level reforms are delivering results. A pilot of the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Index across 12 states showed that Right of Way reforms translated into fibre growth ranging from 22% to 95% in reforming states. Twelve states now charge zero for Right of Way, up from seven in December 2024.
The forum also highlighted the need for long-term financing suited to digital infrastructure assets that typically last 20 to 30 years. Infrastructure financing in Nigeria has expanded significantly, from under ₦70 billion in 2004 to ₦19.4 trillion in 2025, but access still depends on strong governance, management capacity and policy predictability.
Participants recommended accelerating Project BRIDGE, the planned 90,000 km national fibre backbone, improving power reliability for digital infrastructure, and advancing open-access regulation.
Operators were urged to pursue shared infrastructure models while pairing coverage expansion with efforts to increase affordable device ownership.
The NCC said it would continue engaging stakeholders to push the agreed actions forward