Nigeria's Telecom Sector Faces Crisis Amid N2.13trn Investment

Nigeria's telecommunications industry is experiencing significant challenges due to persistent fibre cuts, power failures, and network disruptions, despite over N2.13 trillion invested by mobile network operators in infrastructure and upgrades in 2025. Data consumption surged to 11,937,875.85 terabytes (TB) from January to August 2026, reflecting a growing reliance on digital services.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reported that in August 2026 alone, data consumption reached 1,756,404.82 TB, a 52.4 percent increase from August 2025. However, infrastructure failures have raised concerns about the industry's ability to meet demand.

The NCC noted that mobile network operators invested more than N2.13 trillion in 2025, with an additional N373.8 billion from telecommunications tower companies. Despite these investments, 577 major network outages were recorded in the first quarter of 2026, with fibre cuts causing 361 outages and power failures 144.

The scale of fibre damage and other disruptions threatens mobile internet access, voice calls, and electronic payments.