By Ahmed Ahmed
Nigeria’s telecommunications sector is witnessing one of its largest infrastructure expansion phases in recent years as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) intensifies regulatory oversight, network modernisation and investment coordination aimed at improving service delivery and strengthening the country’s growing digital economy under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The commission’s latest interventions reflect broader efforts to deepen digital infrastructure, expand broadband access and improve service quality as telecommunications increasingly becomes central to financial services, business operations, education and social interaction across the country.
In a statement signed by Nnena Ukoha, Head of Public Affairs, the NCC acknowledged rising consumer concerns over dropped calls, unstable internet connectivity, slow data speeds and network congestion in parts of the country, while reaffirming that improving Quality of Service has remained a major regulatory priority over the past two years.
According to the commission, the sector is currently undergoing one of its most extensive infrastructure modernisation programmes following years of under-investment that constrained network expansion and service performance nationwide.
As part of the ongoing expansion drive, Mobile Network Operators invested more than N2.13 trillion in network infrastructure and upgrades in 2025, while Tower Companies committed an additional N373.8 billion across the telecommunications ecosystem.
The investments supported the deployment and upgrade of more than 2,800 telecommunications sites nationwide, including expansion of 4G and 5G coverage, fibre backhaul upgrades and targeted deployments in underserved communities.
The infrastructure rollout is also continuing into 2026 as operators respond to rising data consumption, increasing digital transactions and expanding broadband demand across Nigeria’s growing digital ecosystem.
According to the NCC, operators have committed to the addition and upgrade of more than 12,000 telecommunications sites within 2026 alone, with close to 3,000 sites already delivered.
The commission further disclosed that more than 730 additional 5G sites have already been deployed across 27 states so far in 2026, reflecting accelerating investments in next-generation digital infrastructure.
The expansion is gradually translating into measurable improvements across parts of the sector.
Performance indicators released by the commission showed that 4G penetration increased from 45 percent in January 2024 to 54 percent currently, while national median download speeds improved from 16.5Mbps to 20Mbps within the same period.
The improvements reflect growing investments in network capacity expansion, fibre connectivity and broadband infrastructure aimed at supporting Nigeria’s expanding digital economy and increasing dependence on telecommunications services.
Beyond physical infrastructure expansion, the NCC stated that it has also facilitated the reallocation of underutilised radio spectrum among major operators under its Spectrum Trading Guidelines to improve network efficiency, optimise capacity utilisation and strengthen service performance across the sector.
The regulatory approach signals increasing emphasis on infrastructure efficiency and spectrum optimisation as part of broader efforts to improve consumer experience and strengthen network reliability.
At the same time, the commission acknowledged that service quality challenges remain in several parts of the country where subscribers continue experiencing poor call quality, congestion and unstable internet services.
According to the NCC, some of the major risks affecting network performance include vandalism, fibre cuts, theft of telecommunications equipment, power disruptions and operational access constraints.
The commission disclosed that more than 27,000 avoidable fibre-cut incidents were recorded in 2025 alone, largely linked to road construction activities and vandalism.
To address the situation, the NCC stated that it is collaborating with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other stakeholders to enforce the Presidential Order on Critical National Information Infrastructure aimed at protecting telecommunications assets nationwide.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen infrastructure protection and reduce operational disruptions affecting digital connectivity across the country.
The commission also disclosed that operators have now been mandated to notify consumers whenever major service outages occur and restore affected services within defined timelines, while significant incidents are being monitored through the commission’s outage reporting portal.
Under the updated Quality of Service Regulations 2024, operators and Tower Companies were granted a transition period to expand and upgrade infrastructure nationwide before enforcement commenced in November 2025.
According to the NCC, enforcement measures now include consumer compensation provisions and additional investment obligations for operators where service failures persist.
The commission added that regulatory actions would continue against operators unable to demonstrate measurable improvements in network performance and service delivery.
The broader direction of policy increasingly reflects the Federal Government’s push to position telecommunications infrastructure as a critical driver of economic diversification, digital inclusion and long-term productivity growth.
With rising digital transactions, expanding fintech adoption, increasing remote work activities and growing dependence on broadband services across multiple sectors, the telecommunications industry is becoming increasingly central to Nigeria’s wider economic transformation efforts.
For now, the NCC’s intensified regulatory oversight, infrastructure expansion drive and network modernisation efforts are gradually reshaping the country’s digital communications landscape, even as pressure continues mounting on operators to deliver faster, more reliable and more resilient telecommunications services nationwide.
