ABUJA, Nigeria: Nigeria’s data consumption rose by nearly 47% in July compared with a year earlier, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said as it called for more investment in telecommunications networks.
The regulator’s executive vice-chairman and chief executive officer, Aminu Maida, said consumption increased from about 1.13 million terabytes in July 2025 to 1.66 million terabytes in July 2026.
Okay News reports that Maida gave the figures at the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. The commission’s official calendar lists the forum for September 29–30, 2026.
In its account of the forum, the NCC said Maida linked rising demand to the need for network expansion and better service quality. The event was organised with Swedfund and network-measurement company Ookla.
Maida said the commission’s Consumer Data Lab combines network-performance measurements, complaints and operators’ responses to help assess service problems.
“We want investors to benefit from that understanding, and from regulatory decisions that are clear, proportionate and supported by evidence,” he said.
The NCC also publishes quarterly network-performance reports produced with Ookla. Its second-quarter 2026 collection examines differences between operators and regions, alongside the experience of consumers using fourth- and fifth-generation mobile networks.
The collection includes an urban–rural comparison and a report examining the gap between devices capable of using 5G and effective access to those networks. Another looks at coverage and congestion in underserved areas. These are assessments of network performance, separate from the July consumption figures cited at the forum.
Swedfund’s project record lists an active feasibility study supporting connectivity in unserved and underserved parts of Nigeria, with the NCC as project owner. The agreement was signed in December 2024, and the estimated project cost is 6 million Swedish kronor.
