The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has disclosed that Nigerians now consume approximately 45,800 terabytes of data daily, underscoring the nation’s accelerating reliance on internet services and digital platforms. Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the NCC, Aminu Maida, made this announcement on Thursday during the 2026 Workshop for Judges on Legal Issues in Telecommunications, held in Lagos.
Represented by Ms. Rimini Makama, Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Maida reported that total data consumption for March 2026 reached 1.42 million terabytes, compared to 995,000 terabytes recorded during the same period in 2025. He noted that Nigeria’s digital economy is expanding rapidly, driven by growth in digital payments, e-commerce, startups, and technology-driven literacy programmes, which are deepening economic inclusion and broadening access to digital services.
In March 2025, daily data usage stood at approximately 32,100 terabytes, equivalent to roughly 10.7 million hours of high-definition video consumption per day. The increasing internet usage reflects the swift expansion of Nigeria’s digital economy, fueled by digital payments, e-commerce platforms, startups, digital literacy initiatives, and emerging technologies. However, Maida warned that telecommunications infrastructure remains vulnerable to vandalism, fibre cuts, equipment theft, and sabotage.
He referenced the recent designation of telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, emphasizing that telecom assets now require enhanced protection due to their strategic importance. Maida added that collaboration would extend to agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the National Identity Management Commission. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the NCC Governing Board, Idris Olorunnimbe, noted that digital technologies have significantly transformed governance, commerce, security systems, and social interactions across modern societies and economies globally.
Olorunnimbe highlighted that issues surrounding cybersecurity, online harms, infrastructure protection, artificial intelligence, and consumer rights demand stronger institutional collaboration and improved judicial understanding of Nigeria’s evolving digital and telecommunications regulatory environment. He expressed confidence that the workshop would strengthen judicial capacity to address these challenges effectively. As the digital landscape evolves, developments such as Gaza Civil Defence operations, Jamb Releases 2026, Tinubu New Service initiatives, Fg Plans Exportable strategies, and comparisons like Cardtonic Esim Vs traditional SIMs continue to shape the broader context of connectivity and regulation.
