The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called for increased investment in telecommunications infrastructure as data consumption in Nigeria rose by almost 47 per cent in one year.

NCC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Aminu Maida, made the call on Tuesday at the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum in Abuja.

The forum, organised in partnership with Swedfund and Ookla, brought together government officials, investors, development finance institutions and industry operators to discuss financing opportunities for Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.

Maida said Nigerians consumed about 1.66 million terabytes of data in July 2026, compared with 1.13 million terabytes in July 2025.

He said the increase highlighted the need for sustained investment to expand telecommunications networks and improve services for existing users.

“Keeping pace will require sustained investment, both to expand networks and to improve the experience of people already connected,” Maida said.

The NCC chief executive also said pressure on telecommunications infrastructure would continue to grow as cloud services and artificial intelligence became more widely used.

He said the commission had introduced measures aimed at improving the investment environment, including the 2025 tariff adjustment, which addressed financial pressures facing telecom operators and their ability to invest.

Maida added that the designation of telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure and discussions with state governments on Right of Way were helping to protect telecom assets and reduce deployment costs.

The NCC is also using network performance data and consumer complaints to identify service gaps and areas requiring additional investment.

Digital connectivity drives investment opportunities

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said digital connectivity had become critical economic infrastructure for trade and investment.

She said telecommunications accounted for more than nine per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product in the first quarter of 2026.

Oduwole also disclosed that Nigeria had more than 25 data centres either operational or under construction, highlighting opportunities for investment in the digital economy.

She identified data centres, cloud services, fibre networks, broadband, fintech, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and digital logistics as areas with investment potential.

However, she stressed the importance of policy predictability and regulatory coordination.

The Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Anna Westerholm, said gaps remained in coverage, service quality, affordability and supporting infrastructure despite progress in connectivity.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, represented at the forum by the Director of the National Frequency Management Council Secretariat, Adetunji Adeyemo, said government could not meet Nigeria’s digital infrastructure needs alone.

He called for stronger public-private partnerships, innovative financing and development finance to support connectivity expansion.