Nigeria’s internet penetration has continued its steady climb, reaching 48.15% in April 2025, according to the latest industry statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). This marks a slight increase from 47.73% in March, reflecting ongoing growth in digital connectivity across the country.
The update, in line with Section 89 (3)(d) of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, highlights the NCC’s mandate to monitor and report on industry trends, including service quality, subscriber numbers, and internet access.
Despite the steady month-on-month increase, Nigeria remains behind its ambitious broadband target. The National Broadband Plan (NBP 2020–2025) had aimed to achieve 70% broadband penetration by the end of 2025 a goal that now appears increasingly out of reach as the year advances.
The growth trend began last October when internet penetration stood at 42.24%. By November, it rose to 43.16%, followed by 44.43% in December. January 2025 saw penetration increase to 45.61%, followed by 46.58% in February, then 47.73% in March, and finally 48.15% in April the highest figure since September 2024, when penetration had dipped to 41.56%.
While penetration figures show a positive trajectory, other indicators paint a mixed picture for the telecoms industry. Data consumption across the country has experienced a decline. Total internet data usage dropped to 983,283.43 terabytes in April, down from 995,876.10 terabytes in March. This follows an earlier dip in February, when usage fell sharply to 893,054.80 terabytes from 1 million terabytes in January.
This reduction in data usage was also accompanied by a loss of approximately one million internet subscribers, highlighting some of the challenges confronting the sector. The industry continues to grapple with a complex and often difficult operating environment, including infrastructural limitations, high operational costs, and policy uncertainties.
Under the provisions of the NCA 2003, telecommunications operators are required to supply the NCC with accurate and timely data, which the Commission uses to assess industry performance and inform public policy.
As Nigeria pushes toward its digital economy goals, the Commission’s reports provide crucial insight into the progress being made and the roadblocks that still lie ahead.
