The Nigerian Communications Commission has disclosed that Nigerians now use about 45,800 terabytes of data daily, underscoring the country’s growing reliance on internet services and digital platforms.
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Aminu Maida, made this disclosure on Thursday at the 2026 Workshop for Judges on Legal Issues in Telecommunications in Lagos.
Represented by the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, he said total data consumption in March 2026 rose to 1.42 million terabytes, up from 995,000 terabytes recorded in the same period of 2025.
Maida said Nigeria’s digital economy is expanding rapidly, driven by increased digital payments, e-commerce activities, a growing startup ecosystem, and technology-powered literacy programmes that are enhancing economic inclusion and broadening access to digital services.
“Put another way, this is roughly equivalent to Nigerians watching over 15 million hours of high-definition video every single day,” Maid said
He added that daily data consumption in March last year averaged about 32,100 terabytes, equivalent to approximately 10.7 million hours of high-definition video streaming each day.
“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 stated.
He said the surge in internet usage reflects the swift growth of Nigeria’s digital economy, propelled by digital payments, e-commerce platforms, startups, digital literacy initiatives, and emerging technologies.
“The rapid growth of digital payments, e-commerce platforms, startups, digital literacy, and the adoption of emerging technologies underscores the immense potential of our digital economy to drive innovation and expand opportunities,” he said.
Despite the sector’s expansion, the NCC chief cautioned that telecommunications infrastructure is still exposed to vandalism, fibre cuts, equipment theft, and acts of sabotage.
Maida noted the commission is partnering with security agencies, telecom operators, and other stakeholders to strengthen protection measures through nationwide asset mapping, public awareness campaigns, mediation efforts, and tougher enforcement.
He added that collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser has already resulted in the disruption of syndicates involved in the theft and resale of telecom equipment.
On cybersecurity, he noted that the NCC has launched the Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System to combat SIM-related fraud, identity theft, and abuses linked to number recycling.
