Joy Agwunobi
Nigeria’s hunger for mobile data has grown faster than almost any other part of its digital ecosystem. According to figures from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), monthly mobile data consumption rose from about 518,000 terabytes in January 2023 to over 1.23 million terabytes by November 2025, representing an increase of about 140 percent in less than three years.
The scale of that growth reflects how deeply digital services have become embedded in daily life, powering communication, education, commerce, entertainment and healthcare. Nevertheless, it has also exposed the growing strain on the country’s telecommunications networks.
For millions of Nigerians, the rise in data use has not always translated into a smoother digital experience. Congestion in busy locations, inconsistent data speeds, dropped calls, service outages and delayed complaint resolution remain familiar frustrations. The NCC itself acknowledges this reality, noting in its 2026 outlook document that while the communications sector has become an essential service, the quality of experience delivered to consumers has not kept pace uniformly with rising demand.
When demand grows faster than capacity
The NCC’s data provides insight into a sector facing increasing strain. Data traffic has more than doubled in under three years, driven by streaming, remote work, online learning, fintech usage and an increasingly mobile-first population. While network coverage has expanded over the years, capacity, resilience and service quality have not always scaled at the same speed.
This imbalance, according to the commission, explains why network congestion is most visible in high-traffic areas and during peak periods. It also underscores why investment in backhaul, redundancy and infrastructure resilience remains critical even as operators extend coverage to new locations. In practical terms, the NCC notes that continued expansion without corresponding upgrades in capacity risks stretching networks thin and worsening consumer experience.
According to the regulator, Nigeria is now at a stage where growth alone is no longer the primary metric of success. Instead, quality, reliability and consistency are becoming the defining measures of a healthy communications sector.
Operators under structural strain
While consumers experience service challenges at the point of use, operators are struggling with deeper structural constraints that shape service delivery. The NCC identifies rising operating costs, energy and logistics challenges, right-of-way bottlenecks, and persistent vandalism and theft of telecommunications infrastructure as major pressures on the industry.
Energy remains a particularly significant burden. Power instability increases dependence on alternative energy sources, driving up costs and complicating efforts to maintain consistent uptime. At the same time, infrastructure vandalism and fibre cuts continue to disrupt services, affecting both network availability and restoration timelines.
Right-of-way issues at sub-national levels further slow deployment, limiting the speed at which operators can reinforce networks in response to rising demand. According to the NCC, these realities directly affect both the pace of network expansion and the quality of service consumers ultimately receive.
Still, the commission is careful not to present these challenges as excuses. Its 2026 roadmap indicates a firmer stance, with operators remaining the engine of investment and innovation, while accountability for consumer experience becomes non-negotiable.
The consumer experience gap
At the heart of the NCC’s 2026 agenda is a recognition that consumer frustration has become a systemic risk. In its document,titled “2026: Delivering Better Quality of Experience to the Nigerian Consumer,” the commission openly acknowledges that many Nigerians still experience inconsistent service quality, outages linked to power challenges and infrastructure damage, and complaint resolution processes that are often slow and insufficiently customer-focused.
Small service failures, when multiplied across millions of users, can erode trust in the entire sector. Failed recharges without prompt reversals, unclear tariffs, poor communication during outages and unresolved complaints all contribute to a widening gap between consumer expectations and actual experience.
The NCC’s emphasis on “quality of experience” rather than just “quality of service” reflects this shift.It underscores an intent to assess telecom performance not only by technical benchmarks but by how services are perceived and experienced by end users in everyday situations.
What consumers should expect in 2026
In response to these challenges, the NCC says consumers should expect measurable improvements in 2026. According to the commission, these include improved voice quality, more consistent data performance, fewer avoidable disruptions and faster service restoration when incidents occur.
The regulator also promises fewer unresolved complaints, clearer feedback when issues are escalated, and simpler, more transparent tariffs and data bundles. Prompt value reversal for unsuccessful recharges and transactions is highlighted as a key expectation, aimed at ensuring consumers receive full value for their money.
Beyond performance metrics, the NCC stresses the importance of resilience and safety in internet services, particularly as digital platforms become more central to economic and social activity. The underlying message is that reliability, transparency and responsiveness are no longer optional features but core obligations.
From policy to enforcement
Delivering on these expectations, the NCC notes, will require stronger regulatory action. The commission says its work in 2026 will be anchored on outcomes that matter to the public, delivered through clear rules, active monitoring and consistent enforcement.
Quality-of-service monitoring will be deepened, with stronger major incident reporting and escalation mechanisms. The NCC also plans to drive practical measures to improve network availability and performance, particularly in high-traffic areas where congestion is most acute.
Consumer protection and transparency form another pillar of the agenda. The commission says it will reinforce billing accuracy, customer care standards and protections against misleading practices. During major service incidents, consumers should expect more consistent and timely public communication.
On market structure, the NCC reiterates its commitment to fair competition, arguing that a healthy and disciplined market ultimately delivers better services and prices. As part of this effort, the commission plans to operationalise a revised corporate governance code for the communications sector, strengthening board and management accountability and making governance a driver of operator performance.
What the NCC expects from operators
The regulator’s expectations of operators are explicit. In 2026, the NCC says operators must continue to invest deliberately in expansion, capacity and resilience, while simplifying tariffs and improving pricing clarity in line with regulatory guidance.
Customer care and complaint handling are to be treated as critical feedback mechanisms rather than administrative burdens. Operators are also expected to reduce avoidable outages, strengthen incident response plans and communicate transparently with consumers during service disruptions, including clear explanations of causes, actions being taken and realistic restoration timelines.
The NCC further emphasises the need to protect the integrity of the telecommunications ecosystem through timely settlement with suppliers, support for service sustainability and full compliance with corporate governance and regulatory obligations.
Beyond regulation: Collective responsibility
The commission acknowledges that not all challenges can be solved through regulation alone. Progress, it notes, will require collective action across operators, infrastructure providers, government institutions and security agencies.
Key priorities include regular publication of industry performance insights, stronger protection of critical national information infrastructure, and continued collaboration with security agencies to reduce vandalism and theft. Power resilience and energy efficiency are also identified as essential to improving network stability.
Engagement with sub-national governments, including through the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, is highlighted as increasingly important in addressing right-of-way challenges, easing deployment bottlenecks and enabling faster rollout at state and local levels.
A Sector at a turning point
The NCC’s 2026 outlook ultimately frames the communications sector as standing at a delicate balance point. If consumers do not experience reliable and affordable services, trust in the sector weakens. If operators cannot invest sustainably, network quality and innovation suffer. Getting this balance right, the commission argues, is critical to building trust, attracting investment and enabling broader participation in Nigeria’s digital economy.
As data consumption continues to increase rapidly, the real test of the NCC’s strategy will lie not in policy documents but in everyday user experience. For consumers, 2026 will be judged not by promises, but by whether calls connect, data flows consistently, complaints are resolved promptly and digital services work when they are needed most.
For a sector under unprecedented demand, the coming year may well determine whether Nigeria’s data boom becomes a lasting advantage or a growing strain on the foundations of its digital future.
