Nigeria’s telecoms bet on infrastructure is starting to show in internet speeds

Nigeria’s average 4G download speeds climbed to 33Mbps by the end of 2025, reflecting years of sustained investment in network infrastructure, fibre expansion and regulatory reforms, Aminu Maida, executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), said in a January 1, 2026 newsletter.

The improvement puts Nigeria ahead of many African countries, where average internet speeds often fall below 20 Mbps, and signals a meaningful upgrade in the quality of experience available to millions of users, even as challenges around affordability and rural access persist.

The speed gains come against the backdrop of a rapidly expanding digital market. Broadband penetration crossed the 50% threshold in 2025, reaching 50.58% by November, up sharply from 45.61% at the start of the year. Active mobile subscriptions stood at 172.71 million, with teledensity approaching 80%, while active data subscribers reached 142 million across all technologies.

Infrastructure investments driving faster networks

The rise in average 4G speeds has been underpinned by aggressive infrastructure deployment across the country. Operators deployed 2,800 new sites in 2025, the EVC’s newsletter noted. This expansion has strengthened backhaul capacity for mobile networks, a critical factor in improving real-world data speeds.

While 5G adoption remains relatively modest at 6.38 million active users, its presence has helped decongest 4G networks and contributed to rising performance across the board. Data consumption peaked at 1.24 million terabytes, underscoring growing demand for faster and more reliable connectivity.

In his January 1, 2026, newsletter, Maida framed these investments as part of a broader national transformation. 

“Pipelines of oil are giving way to pipelines of fibre,” he wrote, signalling a shift in how Nigeria must think about infrastructure and economic growth in the digital era.

How Nigeria compares globally and regionally

Globally, mobile download speeds that blend 4G and 5G traffic are naturally higher, with median speeds around 61.5Mbps in early 2025 and some reports placing the figure closer to 90Mbps in markets with widespread 5G adoption. Within this landscape, Nigeria’s improvement reflects progress rather than parity with the most advanced markets.

Regionally, the contrast is even sharper. Average mobile download speeds in Sub-Saharan Africa remain between 15Mbps and 20Mbps, weighed down by heavy reliance on legacy 2G and 3G networks in rural areas and limited fibre backhaul. While countries such as Mauritius and South Africa outperform the regional average, Nigeria’s rising speeds mark it as one of the fastest-improving large markets on the continent.

Quality of experience moves to the forefront

Maida noted that the regulator’s priorities have evolved from enforcing technical standards to ensuring holistic satisfaction. 

“The goal is for consumers to be consistently satisfied. Our focus has evolved from simply demanding quality service to ensuring a holistic Quality of Experience,” he said.

The shift reflects growing recognition that faster networks must translate into tangible benefits for users, from smoother video streaming and faster downloads to more reliable access for businesses and public services. Consumer trust has become central to this effort, particularly as rising data usage fuels concerns about billing transparency and perceived data depletion.

“An informed consumer is a better-equipped consumer,” Maida wrote, emphasising education and clarity as essential to sustaining confidence in the telecoms sector.

Regulation, pricing and market sustainability

The speed gains have unfolded alongside sensitive regulatory decisions, including a 50% tariff adjustment in January 2025. The move initially led to the loss of about one million internet users, though subscriptions showed signs of recovery by March, returning to around 142 million active data users.

According to the NCC, sustaining network performance requires continued capital investment, which in turn depends on a viable pricing environment. 

“This is an industry that requires continuous investment. The world is moving ahead, and if we do not create the right conditions, we will be left behind,” Maida warned.

The Commission has signalled a renewed emphasis on market-driven pricing, aiming to balance competition with the financial health of operators. 

“We are reverting to the principles of empowering market forces to determine fair prices while ensuring competition to protect consumers,” he noted.

Security, fibre resilience and national impact

Despite the progress, vulnerabilities remain. Fibre cuts and infrastructure vandalism continue to disrupt services and inflate operational costs. Telecom operators suffered over 19,000 fibre cuts between January and August 2025, according to the NCC.

The NCC has increasingly framed these incidents as more than commercial setbacks. “These interruptions slow services, reduce productivity, and in some cases, endanger lives,” Maida said, highlighting the broader societal risks of network instability.

Efforts to expand fibre infrastructure toward a long-term target of nearly 95,000 kilometres demand coordination across government, operators and security agencies. The NCC views this collaboration as essential to safeguarding the gains already made.