Business, Featured
Caption: Rimini Makama Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management speaking in Lagos on Thursday
By Anthony Isibor
THE Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has said that Nigerians consumed over 1.42 million terabytes of data in March 2026, highlighting the country’s growing dependence on digital services and internet connectivity.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Aminu Maida, told the 2026 Workshop for Judges on Legal Issues in Telecommunications on Thursday in Lagos that the latest figures reflected the rapid expansion of Nigeria’s digital economy and increasing internet adoption across the country.
Maida, who was represented by the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said that 1.42 million terabytes recorded in March 2026 represented a major increase from 995,000 terabytes consumed in March 2025.
He explained that the volume translates to approximately 45,800 terabytes of data usage daily.
“Put another way, this is roughly equivalent to Nigerians watching over 15 million hours of high-definition video every single day,” he said.
Maida noted that in March 2025, the average daily consumption stood at about 32,100 terabytes, equivalent to roughly 10.7 million hours of HD video daily.
“This means Nigerians are now using the equivalent of about 4.6 million more hours of HD video every day than they did a year ago,” he added.
The NCC boss attributed the surge in data consumption to the increasing adoption of digital payments, e-commerce platforms, online learning, entertainment streaming, remote work and other internet-enabled services.
He also linked the growth to improvements in broadband penetration, which rose from 47.7 per cent in 2025 to 54.3 per cent in 2026.
According to him, telecommunications operators invested over $1 billion in network expansion in 2025, deploying thousands of additional telecom sites nationwide to improve coverage and service quality.
Maida said the figures underscored the critical role of the telecommunications sector in driving economic growth, innovation, and social inclusion in Nigeria.
He, however, warned that the increasing reliance on digital infrastructure also comes with growing challenges, including cybercrime, online fraud, infrastructure vandalism and threats to online safety.
The NCC chief stressed the need for stronger collaboration among regulators, the judiciary, security agencies and industry players to protect telecommunications infrastructure and sustain the country’s digital transformation agenda.
A.I
May 14, 2026
Tags: Aminu Maida NCC Rimini Makama