The telecommunications sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) rose to 9.19% in the first quarter of 2026, up from 8.12% in the previous quarter, official regulator statistics showed on Thursday.
The share of telecoms in total economic output has recovered steadily since bottoming at 7.67% in the third quarter of 2025, according to data published on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) website.
The sector’s expanded contribution follows a 50% tariff increase approved by the regulator in 2025, which helped spur fresh capital expenditure into network upgrades and infrastructure expansion across West Africa’s largest economy.
Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), said the sector’s recent growth reflected renewed investor confidence driven by regulatory adjustments and government economic reforms.
“Part of what we are seeing today in terms of contribution to GDP growth is the outcome of government policies that are now being implemented,” Adebayo said, adding that tariff revisions allowed operators to commit capital to expand coverage and improve service quality.
Prior to a regulatory statistical rebasing in 2024, the telecom sector’s GDP contribution reached a peak of 16.06% in the second quarter of 2023.
Following the recalibration, contribution levels settled at 7.51% in Q3 2024 before moving on an upward trajectory through 2025 and early 2026.
