The Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria has forecast that Nigeria’s telecommunications sector will move from a period of consolidation in 2025 into an expansion phase in 2026.

ATCON President, Mr Tony Emoekpere, made this known while sharing his outlook for the industry in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

He said the anticipated growth would be fuelled by renewed investor confidence, increasing demand for digital services, and better coordination of sector policies.

According to him, the sector is heading into 2026 on a stronger footing, bolstered by collaboration among operators, regulators and the Federal Government to expand digital inclusion.

Emoekpere said the outlook underscores the industry’s resilience in the face of economic and operational pressures over the past year.

Looking back at 2025, he described the period as one of stabilisation and prudent capital management.

He added that telecom operators, tower firms and internet service providers remained committed despite challenges including rising energy costs, foreign exchange volatility, high equipment import expenses and persistent Right-of-Way constraints.

Emoekpere said data from the Nigerian Communications Commission indicates that Nigeria’s broadband penetration surpassed 50 per cent in 2025.

He attributed the milestone to rising data consumption, driven by the growing integration of digital payments, streaming services, cloud computing and other online platforms into daily life.

He also praised the NCC for helping to boost investor confidence through transparent industry reporting, enforcement of Quality of Service standards and efficient spectrum management.

“These actions have helped preserve investor confidence in the sector,” he said.

“If 2025 was about endurance, 2026 must be about execution, speed, and scale,” Emoekpere said.

The ATCON president also stressed the need to curb multiple taxation, noting that it remains a significant burden on telecom operators.

It was earlier reported that Nigeria’s broadband penetration crossed the 50 per cent threshold in November, marking the first time this level was achieved since the rollout of the Nigeria National Broadband Plan (NNBP 2020–2025).

However, despite the milestone, the country is expected to fall short of the Plan’s target of 70 per cent broadband penetration by the end of 2025.