With 49.89% Broadband Penetration, Nigeria May Not Attain 70% 2025 Target

Emma Okonji

Recent statistics on broadband penetration and subscriptions, released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has exposed the inability of Nigeria to attain the 70 per cent broadband penetration target by the end of December 2025.

Nigeria had an ambitious plan, enshrined in its National Broadband Plan (NBP 2020-2025) to attain broadband penetration level of 70 per cent by the end of December 2025, but such hope may have been dashed, based on the recent statistics about Nigeria’s broadband penetration level, which stood at 49.89 per cent as at October 2025, as released recently by the NCC.

With Nigeria’s broadband penetration level currently at 49.89 per cent,  it will take a miracle to attain 70 per cent penetration level in less than two weeks to the end of 2025.

NCC had in 2023, re-assured Nigerians that the country would attain 50 per cent broadband penetration threshold by the end of 2023, and possibly surpass the 70 per cent target before the end of 2025.

NCC’s assurance was based on the contributions of telecommunication’s sector to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), which increased significantly to 16 per cent in Q2 2023, coupled with the various regulatory interventions of the NCC. Telecoms’ contributions however dropped to 9.2 per cent in Q2, 2025.  

According to the NCC data, broadband penetration level stood at 49.89 per cent with 108 million broadband subscriptions as at October 2025.

A breakdown showed that in April 2025, broadband penetration level was 48.15 per cent with 104 million broadband subscriptions. In May 2025, broadband penetration level increased to 48.81 per cent, with increased broadband subscriptions to reach 105.8 million.

The figures however dropped slightly in June 2025 to 48.78 per cent broadband penetration level and 105.7 million broadband subscriptions, with a further drop in July 2025 to 48.01 per cent and 104 million in broadband penetration and in broadband subscriptions respectively.

The figures increased again in August 2025, to reach 48.81 per cent broadband penetration level and 105 million broadband subscriptions, with a further increase in September 2025 to reach 49.34 per cent broadband penetration level and 106 million broadband subscriptions, before reaching 49.89 per cent broadband penetration level with 108 million broadband subscriptions in October 2025. 

Responding to industry stakeholders concerns over the slow growth rate of broadband penetration, the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, told THISDAY in a telephone interview, that the current investments and expansion of telecoms facilities would help to further deepen broadband penetration and subscriptions. He however said such significant investments would be visible by 2026.

According to Adebayo, “To achieve rapid growth in broadband penetration, the sector needs ubiquitous broadband connectivity, and more fibre optic cable connections from the shores of the sea in Nigeria to the hinterlands where there is high demand for broadband connectivity. We also need more upgrades of cell sites that are formerly on microwave and we need more fibre-to-the-home connectivity, and all these have been factored into the current investment plan.”