Nigeria’s Data Consumption Hits Record High, Fuelling N1trn Network Investment
Nigeria’s data consumption reached a record monthly high in July 2026, increasing pressure on telecommunications operators to invest in the network capacity and infrastructure required to support the country’s growing digital activity.
Data consumption rose to 1.66 million terabytes (TB) in July, 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, reflecting the continued increase in demand for mobile internet services.
Between January and July 2026, Nigerians consumed approximately 10.18 million TB of data, compared with about 7.09 million TB during the same period in 2025.
The figures represent an increase of roughly 43.6 per cent based on the NCC’s monthly data.
The growth is increasing the requirement for network capacity, fibre, equipment, coverage and maintenance across the telecommunications sector.
MTN Nigeria’s investment in network capacity illustrates the scale of spending required to support rising demand.
The operator invested N1 trillion in network capacity in 2025, more than twice the N443.5 billion invested in 2024.
Investment is also extending into fixed broadband and data-centre infrastructure.
MTN has been expanding its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) and fixed wireless access businesses, alongside a data-centre project in Lagos for which it disclosed a commitment of more than $240 million. The first phase is 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.
However, expanding infrastructure is only one part of the challenge, as existing networks also face damage and maintenance pressures.
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 importance of connectivity is increasingly reflected in Nigeria’s wider 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 highlights the growing reliance of merchants and consumers on digital connectivity to conduct everyday transactions.
Nigeria’s digital infrastructure extends beyond mobile network sites to include 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 therefore comes with a corresponding need for continued investment in the infrastructure required to carry, distribute, maintain and protect Nigeria’s expanding digital activity.
For consumers, the growth is visible in the increasing amount of data used on mobile devices. Behind that usage is an infrastructure network that increasingly supports business, payments and other economic activities.
