Nigerians set new data usage record, consume 1.5 million terabytes in May

In May, Nigerian telecom subscribers used a record-breaking 1.5 million terabytes of data, the highest monthly consumption ever recorded, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The surge in data usage is attributed to the adoption of higher-generation networks, such as 4G and 5G, which offer faster speeds. Additionally, the rise in data consumption is driven by an increasing number of digital content creators in the country.

As of May, 54.30% of Nigerian internet users were on 4G, while 5G coverage stood at 4.49%. Leading telecom providers in Nigeria include Airtel Nigeria, with 55.8 million internet connections, followed by Globacom and T2, with 16.8 million and 802,534 subscriptions, respectively.

Dr. Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, highlighted that Nigerians have been consuming approximately 45,800 terabytes of data daily, indicating the nation's growing dependence on internet services and digital platforms. The increase in data usage is linked to the rapid expansion of Nigeria's digital economy, which is propelled by digital payments, e-commerce platforms, startups, digital literacy initiatives, and emerging technologies.

Content creation, particularly on popular platforms like Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and X, has also contributed significantly to the data surge.

The growing data usage has resulted in a substantial growth in data revenue for telecom operators, making it the primary source of income for these service providers. However, this surge in demand puts pressure on the existing infrastructure, prompting telecom companies to invest in infrastructure upgrades. In response, the NCC has committed to upgrading 12,000 sites this year to improve service quality across the country.