Story perspectives

Nigeria's Digital Growth Stalled by Infrastructure and Costs

9/11/2025

Summary

Story summary

Nigeria's digital growth is limited by inadequate last-mile infrastructure, despite advancements in national fibre optic networks.
The telecom sector struggles with vandalism, high taxes, and power shortages, hindering the development of a strong digital economy.
Internet usage rose to 1.1 million terabytes in July 2025, but mobile network reliance leads to slower speeds and higher costs.
Active Internet subscribers fell from 163.8 million to 139.2 million between December 2023 and December 2024 due to SIM-NIN linkage issues and a tariff increase.
Broadband penetration reached only 48.01%, falling short of the 70% target for 2025, leaving 25 million Nigerians without adequate service.

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Story summary

Nigeria's digital growth is limited by inadequate last-mile infrastructure, despite advancements in national fibre optic networks.
The telecom sector struggles with vandalism, high taxes, and power shortages, hindering the development of a strong digital economy.
Internet usage rose to 1.1 million terabytes in July 2025, but mobile network reliance leads to slower speeds and higher costs.
Active Internet subscribers fell from 163.8 million to 139.2 million between December 2023 and December 2024 due to SIM-NIN linkage issues and a tariff increase.
Broadband penetration reached only 48.01%, falling short of the 70% target for 2025, leaving 25 million Nigerians without adequate service.