Endless pain: Paying more for less internet service

…Consumption surges, service quality lags

If there is one pain Nigerians endure daily, it is the fact that they are spending more money for less internet service.

The horror does not seem to have an exit date.

With technology taking over most services across the globe, Nigeria’s internet data consumption increased by 94,383 terabytes in August.

But the increase is not all bloom. It comes with its own gloom because network capacity is certainly not keeping pace with the growing demand for digital services.

The latest figures from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed that data usage rose from 1.66 million terabytes in July to 1.76 million terabytes in August 2026, representing a 5.68 per cent month-on-month increase.

However, mobile GSM internet subscriptions grew by only 794,416 during the period, from 157.27 million to 158.07 million, an increase of approximately 0.5 per cent.

The figures suggest that internet usage is growing considerably faster than the number of mobile internet subscriptions, with implications for network capacity, service quality and investment in telecommunications infrastructure.

But the increase in consumption does not automatically mean Nigerians are enjoying faster or more reliable internet services.

The critical question is whether operators are expanding their network capacity quickly enough to accommodate heavier data traffic while maintaining acceptable service quality for consumers.

For millions of Nigerians who depend on mobile internet for work, education, banking, communication and entertainment, the answer has direct implications for productivity and the cost of staying connected.

The August figures flaunt a broader increase in Nigeria’s data consumption recorded over recent months.

In June 2026, internet usage stood at approximately 1.53 million terabytes before rising to 1.66 million terabytes in July and 1.76 million terabytes in August.

The figures show that monthly consumption increased by approximately 224,232 terabytes between June and August.

Telecommunications consultant, Adewale Adeoye, has attributed the rising demand partly to the growing popularity of content creation and video sharing on social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and X.

“Almost every Nigerian is now a content creator. Everybody wants to post a video of what is happening around them or what they saw elsewhere for engagement and as they keep uploading and people keep watching, watching, the amount of data used will continue to increase,” Adeoye said.

The increasing use of video, social media and other data-intensive services places greater importance on investment in telecommunications infrastructure, including fibre-optic networks, base stations, spectrum and the backhaul systems that carry data between network sites and the wider internet.

As consumers increasingly use streaming services, cloud-based applications and digital payment platforms, operators must accommodate higher traffic volumes across their networks.

Where capacity does not keep pace with demand in particular locations, users may experience slower connections, congestion or inconsistent service.

However, the national consumption figures alone cannot establish whether such problems have worsened or whether operators’ existing investments are sufficient to meet demand.

The Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, has acknowledged that although network service quality is improving, it remains below the regulator’s expectations.

He explained that increasing data consumption was offsetting some of the gains from network upgrades because improved services encouraged subscribers to consume more data.

“We’re still not where we want to be, but are we satisfied as a regulator? I would say within the context for which we operate, I think the area of satisfaction is the fact that we’re beginning to see the right signals. But at the same time, we also see a rise in consumption. So it’s like a cycle. As they’re making investments and making upgrades, people are consuming more,” Maida said.

His comments highlight a central challenge for the telecommunications industry: investments may improve network performance, but rising demand can quickly absorb additional capacity.

For subscribers, this raises the question of whether network improvements are translating into consistently faster connections, fewer service interruptions and better value for money.

A rise in national data consumption does not, by itself, demonstrate that individual subscribers are consuming more data, that their bundles are depleting faster or that operators are delivering better or worse service.

Establishing those outcomes requires additional evidence, including network speed measurements, service availability, complaint records and the results of the NCC’s quality-of-service monitoring.

Deolu Ogunbanjo of the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) has raised concerns about the capacity of Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure to keep pace with increasing demand for data services.

Issues including network congestion, fibre cuts and inadequate backhaul infrastructure have featured in discussions about the challenges affecting service delivery.

Fibre networks support the backhaul connections that carry large volumes of data between mobile network sites and the wider internet. Damage to fibre routes or insufficient transmission capacity can affect connectivity, even where mobile network coverage is available.

Adequate spectrum and investment in radio access networks are also important for operators seeking to accommodate rising traffic.

The August figures, however, do not establish whether the increase in traffic has caused congestion or whether operators have experienced a deterioration in service quality.

They instead highlight the need to assess network performance alongside the growth in consumption.

Nigeria’s mobile market is dominated by MTN and Airtel, which accounted for approximately 86.2 per cent of reported mobile subscriptions in August.

MTN had 102.56 million subscriptions, representing 52.01 per cent of the market, while Airtel recorded 67.42 million, or 34.19 per cent. Globacom accounted for 23.58 million subscriptions, while T2 had 3.61 million.

The scale of the two leading operators makes their network investment and service performance particularly important to the country’s connectivity outlook.

However, the ability of each operator to accommodate rising traffic depends on its available capacity, network deployment, spectrum holdings, infrastructure-sharing arrangements and the distribution of demand across different locations.

As Nigeria expands broadband access and more economic activities move online, the next measure of progress should not be limited to the number of subscribers or the volume of data consumed.

It should also include whether Nigerians can access reliable, sufficiently fast and affordable internet services when they need them.

The central question, therefore, is whether investment in network capacity and improvements in service quality are keeping pace with the country’s rapidly growing appetite for data.