Telecommunications subscribers in Nigeria established a new milestone by consuming 1.5 million terabytes of data in May 2026. This represents the highest monthly data consumption ever recorded in the country, according to the latest industry statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The continuous surge in data usage is primarily driven by the transition of subscribers to faster 4G and 5G networks. Additionally, a rapidly growing community of digital content creators uploading high-definition media has significantly boosted bandwidth demand.
Shift to High-Speed Networks and Content Creation
The NCC data reveals that the proportion of Nigerian internet users on 4G networks climbed to 54.30% as of May 2026. Meanwhile, 5G technology is steadily expanding its footprint, accounting for 4.49% of total connections. Conversely, older 3G technology continues its downward trajectory, shrinking to just 5.10% of active connections.
Earlier this year, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, noted that Nigerians consumed approximately 45,800 terabytes of data daily. This daily average has now climbed to 48,518 terabytes based on the May 2026 figures, illustrating the country's accelerating reliance on digital services. Previously, the daily usage brought total consumed data in March 2026 to 1.42 million terabytes, compared with 995,000 terabytes recorded in March 2025.
Dr. Maida attributed this growth to the expansion of Nigeria's digital economy, which is heavily supported by digital payments, e-commerce platforms, startups, and digital literacy initiatives. Industry analysts also point to monetization programs on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and X as key catalysts for user engagement.
Mr. Adewale Adeoye, a Lagos-based telecom consultant, observed that almost every Nigerian has transitioned into a content creator. He stated that as users upload videos of local events for engagement and others consume this content, overall data consumption will inevitably keep rising.
Market Share Breakdown and Subscriptions
Total active mobile subscriptions across the country experienced a notable increase, jumping from 154.3 million in April to 157 million in May 2026. This expansion was reflected across the major service providers operating in the Nigerian market.
MTN Nigeria maintained its dominant position in the internet market, leading all operators with 83.5 million subscriptions. Airtel Nigeria secured the second spot with 55.8 million internet connections.
Globacom and T2 followed in market share, serving 16.8 million and 802,534 subscriptions on their respective networks during the month under review.
Infrastructure Pressure and Capital Investment
The unprecedented demand for data has translated into substantial data revenue growth for telecommunications operators. However, this surge has also placed immense pressure on existing network infrastructure, leading to service quality challenges.
To address these capacity constraints, the NCC disclosed that telecom operators invested more than N2.5 trillion in network infrastructure during 2025. This massive capital outlay was aimed at mitigating rising complaints regarding service quality across the country.
Furthermore, operators have committed to upgrading 12,000 sites throughout 2026 to enhance network reliability and support the ongoing surge in consumer data demand.
