Internet penetration in Nigeria reached 48.15% in April 2025, marking a modest rise from 47.73% in March, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). However, this improvement is overshadowed by another consecutive month of declining data consumption, underscoring the growing strain on the country’s digital economy.
Broadband Target at Risk: Nigeria Likely to Miss 70% Goal
National Broadband Plan 2020–2025 Falls Short
Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan (NBP 2020–2025) set a target of 70% broadband penetration by the end of 2025. As of April, with penetration still below 50%, industry experts warn that the country is “still a long way” from hitting the mark.
Structural Challenges Impede Progress
Persistent barriers including high right-of-way fees, bureaucratic bottlenecks, and limited state-level cooperation continue to hamper infrastructure deployment. Only a few states have waived right-of-way charges, slowing down network expansion across regions.
Data Consumption Drops for Second Month Despite Demand
April Data Usage Falls to 983,283.43 Terabytes
The NCC reported that data consumption in April stood at 983,283.43 terabytes, down from 995,876.10 terabytes in March. This follows a larger drop earlier in the year when usage fell from over one million terabytes in January to 893,054.80 terabytes in February.
Subscription Numbers Also Decline
Internet subscriptions dropped slightly from 142.05 million in March to 141.99 million in April, reversing a short-lived recovery from the February slump.
Affordability Crisis Threatens Digital Inclusion
Despite Nigeria’s growing digital appetite, especially for education, commerce, and entertainment, high internet tariffs and economic pressures are forcing many users to limit data usage. With penetration still below 50%, stakeholders caution that unless affordability improves, Nigeria’s nascent digital economy could stagnate.
Mobile Porting Surges Amid Competitive Pressure
MTN, Airtel Gain Most Ported Subscribers
In a sign of increased consumer sensitivity to pricing and quality, subscriber porting jumped 121% in April, with 6,789 users switching networks, up from 3,064 in March.
MTN Nigeria led the gains with 3,960 port-ins
Airtel followed with 1,860
Globacom recorded 966
9mobile trailed with just 3 subscribers added
Competitive Market Dynamics in Focus
The spike in porting reflects a highly price-sensitive market, where users seek the best balance between cost and quality of service.
Sector Outlook: More Urgency Needed
While network expansion efforts and digital trends continue to drive demand, the current trajectory suggests Nigeria may fall short of its 2025 broadband goals without bold policy reforms and affordability initiatives. The sector’s health hinges on addressing the dual challenges of access and cost.
