Nigeria may fall short of achieving its ambitious 70 per cent broadband penetration target under the National Broadband Plan (NBP 2020–2025), as new data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows that penetration stood at 49.34 per cent as of September 2025.
Despite recording steady growth in voice and internet subscriptions, the current figure, representing 106.97 million high-speed internet connections, suggests that the country will need to accelerate its broadband rollout dramatically within the final quarter to hit the target.
According to the NCC’s latest industry statistics, active voice subscriptions climbed to 173.54 million in September, up from 171.57 million in August. Internet subscriptions on GSM networks also grew to 140.36 million, while teledensity reached 80.05 percent, reflecting continued sectoral resilience.
However, experts say that closing the remaining 20 percent broadband gap within just two months would be “nearly impossible” given infrastructure, financing, and policy implementation challenges across several regions.
Government Pushes Infrastructure Expansion
Dr. Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, has continued to highlight government efforts to bridge the connectivity gap.
Speaking recently in Ogun State, the Minister revealed plans to deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic cables nationwide, supported by a $500 million World Bank facility. the largest of its kind in the bank’s portfolio.
“The President decided that as a nation, we will invest in 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic network across this country. Every corner of our nation will be covered with fibre optic cables,” Tijani said.
To complement the initiative, Tijani announced the training of 5,000 young Nigerians in fibre technology, splicing, and deployment, in partnership with Coleman Wires and Cables, which recently launched West Africa’s largest fibre optic cable plant.
“This will begin in about two to three months and will strengthen our broadband ecosystem while creating skilled jobs for Nigerians,” the minister added.
Telecom Market Still Growing Strong
According to NCC data, MTN Nigeria retained its lead with 90.33 million subscribers (52.12%), followed by Airtel with 58.47 million (33.74%), Globacom with 21.39 million (12.34%), and T2 with 3.11 million (1.8%), a slight improvement from the previous month.
The GSM segment continues to dominate Nigeria’s telecommunications space, accounting for over 99 per cent of total mobile subscriptions.
Broadband penetration reached its highest level yet at 49.34 per cent, up from 48.81 per cent in August, with 4G technology maintaining 51.6 per cent market share and 5G adoption rising to 3.4 per cent, signaling gradual progress since its commercial launch in 2022.
Data Usage and Economic Impact
While broadband subscriptions increased, data usage dipped slightly to 1.15 million terabytes in September, from 1.152 million terabytes in August.
The telecom sector continues to play a critical role in Nigeria’s economy, contributing 9.2 per cent to GDP in Q2 2025, up from 8.5 per cent in Q1, despite macroeconomic headwinds and currency volatility.
Analysts attribute the sustained sectoral performance to rising demand for digital services, mobile penetration, and continued investments in network infrastructure by operators.
However, they warn that unless massive fibre deployment, last-mile connectivity projects, and right-of-way harmonization accelerate before year-end, Nigeria’s 70 per cent broadband dream may remain just that, a dream deferred.
