Nigeria’s data usage soars 93% in two years

Internet data consumption in Nigeria has nearly doubled in two years, rising by 93 per cent, according to an analysis of the figures from the Nigerian Communications Commission.

Data usage hit 1,000,930.60 terabytes in January 2025, up from 517,670 terabytes in January 2023. The surge underscores the country’s increasing dependence on internet connectivity, with a sharp 39 per cent rise from 721,522 terabytes recorded in January 2024 alone.

Telecom executives said the rapid growth in Nigeria is driven by user behaviour—particularly a shift from 3G and 4G to 5G networks, as well as the growing popularity of video streaming and other data-heavy services.

MTN Nigeria reported a significant rise in average data usage per customer, from 7.8GB in March 2023 to 11.3GB by September 2024. Airtel Nigeria also saw usage climb from 2.8GB in March 2021 to 8.1GB in September 2024.

With telecoms earning a large share of their revenue from data sales, many are expanding infrastructure and refining strategies to take advantage of Nigeria’s accelerating digital habits.

The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, said the industry is witnessing a strong move towards data as the primary revenue stream.

“We are positioning ourselves to capture the opportunities for growth for the next 10 years. The demand for data in Nigeria is exceptional and will continue to grow,” Toriola told Arise TV earlier this year.

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