Nigeria’s communications regulator says the country’s telecoms sector recorded measurable gains in 2025, laying the groundwork for better service quality and a more resilient digital economy in the year ahead.
In its newly released 2026 industry newsletter themed “Delivering Better Quality of Experience to the Nigerian Consumer,” the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said the past year marked a clear turning point for the sector, with renewed investment, network expansion, and improvements in everyday user experience—though challenges remain.
According to the NCC, broadband subscriptions rose from about 96.3 million in December 2024 to over 109.6 million by December 2025, pushing broadband penetration past the 50% mark to 50.58%.
Network performance also showed steady improvement. Between December 2024 and December 2025, median 4G mobile download speeds rose by about 24%, while average 4G speeds increased by 18%. The NCC said the focus on 4G performance reflects its importance to everyday users, as the technology now accounts for roughly 52% of mobile connections nationwide. During the same period, 4G population coverage stabilised at around 85%, while 5G expanded to approximately 13% of the population and continues to grow.
The Commission described this growth as critical to supporting businesses, education, healthcare, and Nigeria’s expanding digital economy.
The regulator attributed these gains partly to stronger network foundations and broader national infrastructure initiatives, including Project BRIDGE, led by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani. The project aims to accelerate fibre rollout across up to 90,000 kilometres nationwide, strengthening Nigeria’s digital backbone and improving network resilience.
Beyond infrastructure, the NCC said its 2026 focus goes beyond access to improving quality of experience and trust. As connectivity becomes central to daily life, the Commission said it is strengthening consumer protection through tools such as the Internet Code of Practice and a broader cybersecurity and trust framework to address risks like fraud, cyberattacks, and harmful content. The NCC added that its approach remains a balance between protecting consumers, sustaining operator investment, and supporting the Federal Government’s ambition to build a $1 trillion digital economy by 2030.
While acknowledging that service quality is still uneven in some areas, the Commission said the progress recorded in 2025 shows what is possible. The task ahead, it noted, is to deepen these gains and ensure that improvements translate into reliable, affordable, and high-quality services that Nigerian consumers can consistently feel.
