Nigeria’s data usage reached about 13.2 million terabytes (TB) in 2025, reflecting a 35 per cent surge in internet traffic driven by rising usage across mobile and broadband networks, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Figures obtained from the NCC indicate that national internet traffic has maintained a steady upward trend since the Commission began tracking monthly usage in January 2023.
Total data consumption rose from 7.27 million TB in 2023 to 9.76 million TB in 2024, representing a 34.3 per cent year-on-year increase, across major operators including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, T2 and other internet service providers.
Between January and November 2025, Nigerians consumed 11.86 million TB, up from 8.79 million TB in the corresponding period of 2024—an increase of 34.96 per cent, or 3.07 million TB. This places average daily data usage at over 41,000 TB, intensifying pressure on mobile and broadband networks nationwide.
According to data published on the NCC’s website, national internet traffic across MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, T2 and other providers has risen consistently since 2023.
“In 2023, Nigeria recorded 7.27 million TB in total data usage. This climbed to 9.76 million TB in 2024, representing a 34.3 per cent year-on-year growth.
The momentum has intensified in 2025, with full-year consumption now projected to exceed 13.2 million TB, implying growth of about 35 per cent over 2024.
“Between January and November 2025 alone, Nigerians consumed 11.86 million TB, up from 8.79 million TB in the same period last year—an increase of 34.96 per cent, or 3.07 million TB in additional volume,” the report read.
At the current pace, Nigeria is consuming just over 41,000 TB of data daily, underscoring growing strain on telecom infrastructure.
The data also reveal a strong seasonal pattern, with December consistently emerging as the peak month for data consumption. In 2024, December traffic exceeded November levels by 94,502 TB, while the increase stood at 67,794 TB in 2023. Month-on-month growth for December averaged 10 to 11 per cent in both years, largely driven by holiday travel, video streaming, social media activity and online shopping.
Industry players attribute the sustained growth to cheaper smartphones, wider access to mobile internet, increased video consumption, expanding cloud services, remote-work tools and the ongoing digitalisation of businesses and public services.
Broadband penetration also crossed the 50 per cent mark in November 2025 for the first time, a significant milestone, although still below the 70 per cent target set under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) 2020–2025.
Speaking on the report, telecom analyst Osita Odafi said Nigeria’s growing appetite for internet services had pushed national data consumption to 11.86 million TB as of November 30, 2025, placing the country firmly on track to exceed 13 million TB by year-end.
Odafi said the surge reflects how streaming platforms, cloud computing, fintech services and widespread smartphone adoption are reshaping how Nigerians live and work.
Analysts increasingly regard data consumption as a proxy for broader economic activity, reflecting how Nigerians communicate, transact, learn and entertain themselves.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, said rapid urbanisation was intensifying demand for data services.
“Cities like Lagos are growing at lightning speed with more people, more businesses, more devices.
“We recognise that data is the new oxygen. That is why we are investing heavily in 5G and fibre to build a smart, scalable network that can carry the weight of Nigeria’s digital future,” Balsingh said.
However, regulators have cautioned that infrastructure strain remains a concern. The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said service quality still requires improvement despite recent progress.
“Quality of service today is not yet where we want it to be, but it is equally true that we are no longer where we used to be,” Maida said, adding that operators are being compelled to accelerate investment while improving customer experience.
For telecom operators and internet service providers, the figures present both opportunity and urgency, as sustaining growth will require rapid expansion of network capacity, improved resilience and smarter infrastructure planning.
Analysts say policy success will depend on faster implementation of the 90,000-kilometre national fibre rollout under Project BRIDGE, resolution of right-of-way challenges, reduction of multiple taxation at sub-national levels and improved security to protect telecom infrastructure from vandalism.
Odafi noted that if these constraints are addressed, Nigeria’s current data boom may mark not a peak, but the early stage of a much broader digital transformation.
