Nigerias broadband penetration rate rose slightly to 48.81 in May 2025, marking a modest increase from 48.15 in April, according to new data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission NCC.
This means that out of Nigerias estimated population of over 200 million, about 105.8 million people now have access to high-speed internet. The marginal rise signals progress but still leaves the country far behind its National Broadband Plan NBP 20202025 target of 70 penetration by the end of this year.
At the launch of the five-year plan in 2020, Nigerias broadband coverage stood at 39.85. In the last four years, the figure has moved gradually, reaching 44.43 by December 2024 and 47.73 by March 2025. While growth has been steady, the pace has fallen short of expectations, raising concerns that the ambitious goal may not be met before the plan expires.
Industry stakeholders have continued to blame several bottlenecks, including multiple taxation, high right-of-way fees, and poor infrastructure at the state level. These challenges have slowed fibre rollout and limited private sector investments needed to expand coverage to underserved areas.
The NCC has repeatedly urged state governments to remove regulatory barriers that frustrate telecom operators efforts to deploy broadband infrastructure nationwide. Analysts also say stronger collaboration between federal and state authorities is needed to boost the digital economy and close the connectivity gap, especially in rural communities.
