Nigeria’s internet penetration crossed the 50% mark in November 2025, reaching 50.58%, according to the latest industry data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), signifying steady progress but well short of the 70% broadband penetration target set under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) 2020–2025, which expires in December.
The increase was up from 45.61% in January, representing a gain of nearly five percentage points over the year.
The NBP established ambitious benchmarks to drive digital inclusion, includingextending effective broadband coverage to at least 90% of the population, achieving minimum download speeds of 25 Mbps in urban areas and 10 Mbps in rural regions, and ensuring data affordability at no more than ₦390 per 1GB, equivalent to 2% of median income or 1% of the minimum wage. Despite entering the plan’s final weeks, Nigeria’s current broadband landscape falls short.
By November 2025, broadband subscriptions in the country stood at around 109 million. The growth trajectory has been uneven: the nation missed its interim 2023 target of 50% penetration and ended 2024 at 44.43%, highlighting persistent structural and regulatory challenges. Among these, fibre optic vandalism, which accounts for 30 to 43 cuts daily, high Right-of-Way (RoW) fees, and declining subscription numbers, losing over a million users in early 2025, have hampered expansion and reliability.
Nevertheless, several factors have driven broadband growth in recent years. Mobile network expansion, particularly 3G and 4G deployments, has underpinned most of the increase, with limited 5G rollouts supplementing capacity in urban areas. Falling smartphone prices and competitive data bundles have enabled more Nigerians to access mobile internet, while policy frameworks like the NBP and investments in the National Communications Backbone have incentivised private sector participation, especially in underserved and rural areas.
The shortfall against targets largely reflects a mix of high deployment costs, infrastructure gaps, and coverage limitations. Operators face expensive RoW charges, multiple levies, and high energy costs to maintain base stations, particularly in rural regions. Fibre and last-mile networks have not expanded quickly enough beyond major cities, leaving significant populations unconnected and some network infrastructure underutilised.
Despite these obstacles, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) maintains that the 70% penetration target remains the primary objective. With sustained investment in mobile broadband, growing smartphone adoption, and ongoing expansion of 4G/LTE infrastructure, the sector is poised to continue incremental growth, even if the original 2025 benchmark remains elusive.
