Nigeria’s telecommunications sector is witnessing one of its largest infrastructure expansion and modernization drives in recent years, as operators intensify investments aimed at addressing persistent poor network quality and rising consumer complaints across the country.
The Nigerian Communications Commission disclosed that Mobile Network Operators invested more than N2.13 trillion in CAPEX (capital expenditure) on network infrastructure and upgrades in 2025 alone, while Tower Companies committed an additional N373.8 billion to strengthen telecom infrastructure nationwide.
According to the Commission, the investments are part of ongoing efforts to improve Quality of Service, expand network capacity, reduce congestion, and support Nigeria’s rapidly growing digital economy.
The NCC, in a statement signed by Nnenna Ukoha, its head of Public Affairs, said that consumer complaints over dropped calls, slow internet speeds, unstable data services, and network disruptions have remained a major concern, prompting both regulatory intervention and increased infrastructure spending by operators.
The telecom regulator explained that the investments supported the deployment and upgrade of over 2,800 telecom sites nationwide, helping to address coverage and capacity gaps in several urban and underserved communities.
The network expansion projects include the rollout of additional 4G and 5G layers on existing sites, fibre backhaul expansion, deployment of new infrastructure in high-demand areas, and modernization of aging telecom equipment.
According to the Commission, the infrastructure push is continuing in 2026, with operators already committing to the addition and upgrade of more than 12,000 telecom sites within the year.
The NCC disclosed that nearly 3,000 of the planned sites have already been delivered, while over 730 additional 5G sites have been deployed across 27 states so far in 2026.
The Commission said the accelerated deployment is necessary due to the exponential growth in data consumption, increasing digital adoption, and rising dependence on broadband services for business, education, entertainment, and financial transactions.
To further support service improvement, the regulator revealed that it has facilitated the reallocation and optimization of underutilized radio spectrum among the country’s three major Mobile Network Operators.
According to the NCC, the spectrum interventions are designed to improve spectral efficiency, network performance, and service delivery across the sector.
The regulator noted that early indicators are beginning to show gradual improvements in network quality.
Its Quality of Service and Quality of Experience assessments indicate improvements in network capacity, broadband coverage, and average data speeds in several parts of the country.
The Commission stated that national median download speeds increased from 16.5Mbps in January 2024 to 20Mbps currently, while 4G penetration rose from 45 percent to 54 percent within the same period.
Power availability at telecom tower sites also improved from a national average of 99.3 percent in January 2025 to 99.7 percent currently.
Despite the progress, the NCC acknowledged that several locations across the country still experience poor call quality, slow internet connectivity, congestion, and unstable services.
The Commission stressed that while the investments are welcome, operators must ensure they translate into visible and measurable improvements for consumers.
To strengthen compliance, the NCC said it has intensified monitoring of Mobile Network Operators, Internet Service Providers, and Tower Companies under the updated Quality of Service Regulations 2024.
The regulator disclosed that enforcement actions commenced in November 2025 after operators were granted a transition period to procure and install required equipment nationwide.
According to the Commission, enforcement measures include consumer compensation for poor service quality and additional investment obligations where infrastructure performance failures are identified.
The NCC also identified external challenges affecting network performance, including fibre cuts, vandalism, theft of telecom equipment, power disruptions, and access denial during maintenance operations.
The Commission revealed that over 27,000 avoidable fibre-cut incidents were recorded nationwide in 2025 alone, mostly linked to road construction activities and vandalism.
It added that collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other stakeholders is ongoing to enforce the Presidential Order on Critical National Information Infrastructure and reduce attacks on telecom assets.
The regulator further directed operators to improve transparency by notifying subscribers whenever major service outages occur and restoring services within defined timelines.
According to the NCC, the telecom industry must now deliver measurable improvements in service quality as investments across the sector continue to rise.
