Nigeria’s internet penetration rose marginally to 48.15% in April 2025, up from 47.73% in March, according to new figures released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). However, this modest gain masks deeper challenges in the nation’s telecommunications sector, which continues to struggle under the weight of high tariffs and mounting economic strain.
Despite the uptick, Nigeria remains far from achieving the ambitious 70% broadband penetration target set in its National Broadband Plan (NBP 2020–2025), with industry stakeholders warning that the current trajectory makes meeting the goal by year-end increasingly unlikely.
“The country is still a long way from hitting the 70% mark,” said one sector analyst. “The reality is that the existing infrastructure gaps and affordability issues are eroding the momentum.”
Data Usage in Decline
The NCC report revealed a concerning trend: nationwide data consumption dropped to 983,283.43 terabytes in April, down from 995,876.10 terabytes in March. This marks the second consecutive month of decline, following a sharp drop from January’s record high of over one million terabytes to 893,054.80 terabytes in February.
Although data usage briefly recovered in March, rising by 11.5% and driving subscriptions up to 142.05 million, April saw a slight dip again to 141.99 million users—reflecting renewed pressure on consumer spending.
The downturn has been attributed to recent data tariff hikes and broader economic challenges, prompting many Nigerians to reduce their internet usage despite the growing demand for digital services.
Structural Barriers to Growth
Experts say the slow progress toward broadband expansion stems from high operational costs and bureaucratic bottlenecks, particularly in securing right-of-way (RoW) approvals for infrastructure projects. Only a handful of states have waived these fees, limiting network rollout and discouraging private sector investment.
The affordability gap remains a major barrier to deeper internet penetration, with many Nigerians unable to maintain consistent access to data services. Industry insiders caution that unless these issues are addressed, the country’s digital economy—largely driven by education, e-commerce, and social media—may struggle to sustain its growth.
Subscriber Mobility and Market Dynamics
In the face of rising costs and service dissatisfaction, the number of mobile users switching networks surged in April. According to NCC data, 6,789 subscribers ported to other service providers—up 121% from 3,064 in March.
MTN Nigeria led the gains, attracting 3,960 new porting subscribers, followed by Airtel with 1,860 and Globacom with 966. In contrast, 9mobile saw minimal activity, adding just three subscribers—an indication of its declining competitiveness in an increasingly price-sensitive market.
The Commission also reported 208,482 active subscribers for data services across licensed operators, though this figure likely represents a specific user segment rather than the broader subscriber base.
