Nigeria’s internet traffic grows 168% over three years, with broadband penetration reaching 53%, driven by telecom investments and network expansion

Nigeria’s internet usage has soared over the past three years, with total traffic rising about 168 per cent from January 2023 to January 2026, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission.

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Data shows internet traffic grew from 517,670.15 terabytes (TB) in January 2023 to 1,385,536.04 TB in January 2026.

Growth during the intervening years included 721,522 TB in 2024 and 1,000,930.60 TB in 2025, reflecting near-consistent annual increases of 38–39 per cent.

The surge underscores Nigeria’s growing reliance on digital platforms for communication, entertainment, payments, and business activities.

Broadband penetration now stands at 53.07 per cent, equivalent to 115.04 million subscriptions, up from 51.97 per cent in December 2025.

This represents a net addition of 2.37 million broadband users in one month, highlighting expanding access to high-speed internet.

The NCC attributes the increase in traffic to heavy telecom investments. Operators invested over $1 billion in network infrastructure in 2025, deploying more than 2,850 new sites nationwide.

Dr Aminu Maida, NCC Executive Vice Chairman, said: “We have secured commitments from operators to exceed their 2025 investment levels in 2026, with infrastructure investments continuing in earnest.”

Operators plan to invest over N1.4 trillion this year to expand coverage, improve service quality, and support 5G rollout.

The 2025 expansion followed a 50 per cent tariff hike approved by the NCC and the Ministry of Communications, which helped telcos return to profitability.

The government is also deploying 4,000 telecom towers in rural communities to enhance connectivity in underserved areas.

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The continued rise in internet usage highlights the increasing role of connectivity in Nigeria’s economy and the growing demand on telecom networks as millions of users migrate more daily activities online.