The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said Nigeria is the seventh country in the world with the highest data usage.
The surge in daily data usage, with a 39% increase from last year, has averaged 336 gigabytes per second, the commission said.
This growth underscores the country’s shift towards a data-driven lifestyle.
The Executive Vice Chairman Aminu Maida shared these insights at the 93rd Telecom Consumer Parliament in Abuja.
Citing a recent global report on data usage, the NCC boss said there are now over five billion internet users, with Nigeria alone accounting for 132 million connections.
He said Nigerians spend an average of 4 hours and 20 minutes on social media daily, far above the global average, underscoring how deeply embedded digital interaction is in our lives.
He said, “Over the past two decades, the telecommunications landscape in Nigeria has transformed from basic voice services to high-speed data that connects, informs, and powers innovations.
“With the rollout of 3G, 4G, and now 5G, we’ve seen Nigerians adopting social media, e-commerce, online banking, and more.The introduction of 3G networks in the mid-2000s marked the beginning of this shift, enabling basic browsing and email.
“Now, with 5G promising even faster speeds and lower latency, new frontiers are opening for innovations such as smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and the Internet of Things, driving further demand for data.
“Today, as data consumption grows, fueled by digital advancements, we must address consumer concerns over data depletion and billing transparency.”
