Data Usage Drops for Second Month Amid Rising Tariffs
Nigeria’s internet landscape is facing a tough challenge as data consumption has fallen for the second month in a row, even though internet penetration saw a slight increase in April 2025.
According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), internet penetration rose to 48.15% in April, up from 47.73% in March. However, this small gain masks a worrying trend: Nigerians are using less data due to rising tariffs and economic difficulties.
Despite efforts to expand broadband access, Nigeria is falling short of its ambitious target of 70% broadband penetration by the end of 2025, as set by the National Broadband Plan (2020–2025). Experts say the country still has a long way to go, and the current downward trend in data use makes reaching this goal unlikely.
Several factors are holding back progress, including high costs and bureaucratic hurdles, like delays and fees in getting permission to build internet infrastructure. Only a few states have eased these fees, slowing the rollout of better networks.
The NCC reported that data usage dropped from about 995,876 terabytes in March to 983,283 terabytes in April. This follows a sharper decline earlier in the year when data usage fell dramatically from a peak of one million terabytes in January to 893,054 terabytes in February, along with a loss of roughly one million internet subscribers.
While March saw a brief recovery—with data use and subscriptions both increasing—April’s numbers slipped again, with subscribers dropping slightly to 141.99 million from 142.05 million in March. This signals ongoing financial pressure on users, who are cutting back their internet spending.
Even though more Nigerians are getting online, affordability remains a major hurdle. The digital economy continues to grow, fueled by the internet’s importance in education, business, and social connections. But unless the high cost of data is addressed, progress could stall, putting Nigeria’s digital future at risk.
The NCC also noted a surge in customers switching networks, with 6,789 subscribers porting in April—a 121% jump from March. MTN Nigeria gained the most new subscribers, followed by Airtel and Globacom. Meanwhile, 9mobile barely added any, showing how fierce the competition is in a market where price matters most.
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