Nigerians used a record-breaking 1.04 million terabytes of data in May 2025 — the highest monthly usage so far this year — despite a slight drop in the total number of internet subscribers.
According to the latest industry figures, total internet subscriptions fell by about 1.75 million, from 157.24 million in April to 155.49 million in May. Yet data traffic rose sharply, up from 983,283 terabytes recorded in April.
This surge highlights Nigerians’ increasing reliance on mobile internet and data-driven services, even in the face of economic pressures, including the recent upward review of data tariffs. In January, the average cost of 1GB of data rose by over 50% — from ₦287.50 to ₦431.25 — following regulatory adjustments by the NCC.
Despite the price hike, average monthly usage per subscriber rose significantly. In May alone, the average data use per user hit 9.86GB, compared to 7.37GB in the same period last year — a year-on-year increase of nearly 31%.
Telecom operators attribute the growth to rising demand for video streaming, remote work, e-learning, and digital entertainment. Industry watchers say that the rollout of improved 4G and 5G networks is also driving higher consumption as more users access high-bandwidth applications.
However, the uptick in usage continues to test the capacity and resilience of Nigeria’s broadband infrastructure. With the broadband penetration rate still below 50%, stakeholders warn that unless the country accelerates fibre deployment, data quality and affordability could become bigger challenges.
The NCC maintains that sustained investment in network upgrades and expansion is crucial to keep pace with user demand and ensure that more Nigerians, especially those in underserved areas, can benefit from affordable, reliable internet.
