Nigerians consumed 8.52 million terabytes of internet data in the first half of 2026, reflecting the rapid expansion of digital connectivity and the growing reliance on internet based services across the country. Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission showed that consumption increased from about 5.96 million terabytes recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, representing a 42.9 per cent year on year increase.
The surge in data consumption coincided with significant growth in broadband connectivity, as broadband subscriptions increased from 115.04 million in January to 123.11 million in June. As a result, broadband penetration rose from 53.07 per cent at the beginning of the year to 56.79 per cent by June, bringing the country closer to the 57 per cent mark. The figures, however, represent subscriptions rather than unique individuals, as one person can hold multiple broadband subscriptions.
Monthly data consumption also maintained an upward trend during the period, rising from 1.39 million terabytes in January to 1.53 million terabytes in June. June’s consumption was 46.7 per cent higher than the 1.04 million terabytes recorded in June 2025. The increase has been linked to the growing use of video streaming, social media, digital payments, online education, cloud applications, e commerce and remote work, further demonstrating the transition of Nigeria’s telecommunications market from voice services to a data driven ecosystem.
The growth is also being supported by the gradual expansion of faster mobile technologies. 4G accounted for 54.31 per cent of mobile network generation share in June, up from 53.41 per cent in January, while 5G increased from 3.94 per cent to 4.61 per cent during the same period. The development has created greater capacity for data intensive services, although the rapid increase in consumption is also placing greater pressure on network infrastructure. With broadband penetration approaching 57 per cent and data usage continuing to rise, industry stakeholders face the challenge of expanding network capacity and improving service quality to meet Nigeria’s growing digital appetite.