In 2025, telecom operators invested approximately N2.4 trillion to improve services, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Mobile Network Operators invested N2.13 trillion in network infrastructure and upgrades, while Tower Companies invested an additional N373.8 billion. These investments facilitated the addition and upgrade of over 2,800 telecommunications sites nationwide, improving coverage and capacity.
Nnenna Ukoha, Head of Public Affairs, disclosed this and stated that the sector is undergoing a significant network expansion and modernisation to address past under-investment.
New investments enabled faster 4G and 5G deployment on existing sites, expanded fibre backhaul for improved capacity and resilience, targeted deployments in high-demand urban areas, rollout in underserved communities, and refreshed network equipment.
Ukoha recognised consumer frustration with call drops, slow internet, and unstable networks, and conveyed the Commission’s expectation that new investments will result in demonstrable service improvements.
“This expansion drive is continuing in 2026 in response to Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital ecosystem and the exponential growth in data consumption. The NCC has secured industry commitments for the addition and upgrade of over 12,000 sites within the year, of which close to 3,000 have already been delivered. The deployment of next-generation infrastructure is also accelerating, with more than 730 additional 5G sites already deployed across 27 states so far in 2026”, she said.
In addition, and in line with its Spectrum Trading Guidelines, she said the Commission has facilitated the reallocation of a majority of idle and underutilised valuable radio spectrum among the three major Mobile Network Operators, while also rearranging spectrum blocks to provide contiguity for operators. These interventions are designed to improve spectral efficiency, network capacity, and service performance.
“Over the past two years, improving Quality of Service has been a central regulatory priority for the Commission. The NCC has intensified monitoring of Mobile Network Operators, Internet Service Providers and Tower Companies, strengthened data-driven oversight, and deepened engagement with relevant public institutions to address structural barriers that affect service delivery. These measures are intended to ensure that the industry moves towards measurable improvements.
“The Commission’s Quality of Service and Quality of Experience assessments, conducted using crowdsourced and field-based analytics, show gradual improvements in network capacity, coverage, and average data download speeds across several parts of the country. As subscribers continue to migrate to faster 4G networks, with 4G penetration rising from 45 per cent in January 2024 to 54 per cent currently, national median download speeds have increased from 16.5Mbps to 20Mbps within the same period. Power availability at telecom towers has also improved from a national average of 99.3 per cent in January 2025 to 99.7per cent currently.
“These improvements are most evident in areas where recent upgrades and new site deployments have been completed. However, the Commission is equally clear that the pace and consistency of improvement must increase, particularly in locations where consumers continue to experience poor call quality, slow data speeds, congestion, and service instability.
In alignment with government policy to deepen fibre penetration to homes, businesses, schools, and public institutions, she said the Commission is also at an advanced stage of conducting a market study to create a wholesale market segment. This will help smaller, local ISPs expand service and lower costs, complementing government initiatives like Project BRIDGE to strengthen Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
The Commission is also addressing persistent external risks that continue to affect network performance, including frequent fibre cuts, vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure, theft at network sites, power-related disruptions, and denial of access for maintenance and operations.
“In 2025 alone, over 27,000 avoidable fibre-cut incidents linked to road construction and vandalism were recorded nationwide. Each incident impacted network performance, service availability, and consumer experience. The Commission is working closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other stakeholders to operationalise the Presidential Order on Critical National Information Infrastructure.
Through this collaboration, organised syndicates involved in the theft and resale of telecom equipment have been disrupted, while engagement with Federal and State Ministries of Works is putting in place a governance mechanism to reduce avoidable fibre cuts arising from road construction.
She stated that the NCC commenced enforcement from November 2025, including consumer compensation measures for poor service quality and additional investment obligations on Tower Companies where performance failures were identified, and also mandated operators to provide timely notifications to consumers whenever there is a major service outage and to restore affected services within defined timeframes.
She added that the commission would continue to hold all key players in the Quality-of-Service value chain accountable.
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