Nigeria’s Data Consumption Rises 44%, Putting Network Infrastructure Under Pressure
Nigeria’s data consumption rose by about 43.6 per cent between January and July 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, increasing pressure on the telecommunications infrastructure required to support the country’s expanding digital activity.
Data consumption reached 1.66 million terabytes (TB) in July 2026, the highest monthly volume in the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) published series.
The July figure followed 1.53 million TB in June and 1.50 million TB in May.
Between January and July 2026, Nigerians consumed approximately 10.18 million TB of data, compared with about 7.09 million TB during the corresponding period in 2025.
The growth is increasing demand for network capacity, fibre, equipment, coverage and maintenance.
MTN Nigeria’s investment in network capacity illustrates the scale of spending involved.
The operator invested N1 trillion in network capacity in 2025, more than twice the N443.5 billion invested in 2024.
Investment has also extended into fixed broadband and data-centre infrastructure, with MTN expanding its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) and fixed wireless access businesses.
The operator also disclosed a commitment of more than $240 million to a data-centre project in Lagos, with the first phase expected to cost about $120 million.
The NCC recorded 319,735 total FTTH subscriptions in the second quarter of 2026, with MTN accounting for 176,468.
But expanding telecommunications infrastructure is only part of the challenge. Existing infrastructure also faces damage from physical activity.
The NCC said more than 5,000 fibre-optic cable cuts occurred in the first half of 2026, largely linked to road construction, excavation and other civil works.
NCC Executive Vice Chairman Aminu Maida warned that damage to fibre infrastructure could lead to failed calls, blocked payments, interrupted services and lost economic opportunities.
The growing dependence on connectivity is also reflected in digital payments and commercial activity.
The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) reported that PoS transactions reached N18.78 trillion in the first quarter of 2026, up 79.03 per cent from N10.49 trillion in Q1 2025.
The increase shows the growing role of connectivity in supporting everyday transactions involving merchants and consumers.
The infrastructure supporting Nigeria’s data growth includes fibre transmission networks, spectrum and radio equipment, data centres, broadband infrastructure, power systems and digital platforms.
MTN’s FY2025 results showed stronger growth in data, enterprise connectivity and home broadband, with FTTH identified as a core investment priority as demand for high-quality home connectivity grows.
The rising volume of data consumption is therefore creating greater requirements for continued investment in network capacity, while existing infrastructure must also be maintained and protected.
For consumers, the increase is visible in the growing amount of data used on mobile devices. Behind that usage is an expanding infrastructure network supporting connectivity, payments and other economic activities.
