Nigeria’s telecommunications regulator has pledged to adopt a tougher stance on consumer protection in 2026, acknowledging that service disruptions and network congestion continue to frustrate users nationwide. Despite investments that pushed broadband penetration past the 50 percent mark in 2025, many Nigerians still experience inconsistent data speeds, outages, and slow resolution of complaints.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reported that telecom operators deployed over 2,800 new and upgraded sites last year, boosting broadband subscriptions to roughly 109.6 million by December, up from 96.3 million in 2024. Fourth-generation (4G) networks now account for 52 percent of mobile connections, surpassing 2G, while median 4G download speeds increased 24 percent to about 20 Mbps. Nevertheless, improvements have yet to reach all regions evenly.
Rising data consumption is intensifying pressure on Nigeria’s mobile networks. Monthly mobile data usage surged from 518,000 terabytes in early 2023 to more than 1.23 million terabytes by November 2025, a 140 percent increase. This growth has worsened congestion in urban areas and underscored the urgent need for investment in network capacity, fibre backhaul, and resilient infrastructure, while operators face challenges such as high operating costs, vandalism, and theft.
Against this backdrop, the NCC has placed consumer protection and service quality at the heart of its 2026 agenda. The regulator plans to strengthen quality-of-service monitoring, enforce faster resolution of network failures, tighten oversight of tariffs and billing, and ensure clearer communication during service disruptions. Collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria has already resulted in more timely refunds for failed airtime and data purchases.
Beyond connectivity, the NCC is prioritizing online safety and digital infrastructure. Measures such as strengthening the Internet Code of Practice aim to tackle fraud, cyberbullying, and harmful content. Large-scale initiatives like Project BRIDGE, targeting 90,000 kilometres of fibre deployment, are expected to boost broadband performance. The regulator also plans to operationalize a revised Corporate Governance Code to improve accountability, ensuring that gains made in 2025 translate into lasting improvements for Nigerian telecom users.
source: Business day