The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced a significant surge in daily data usage, with a 39% increase from last year, averaging 336 gigabytes per second.
This growth underscores the country's shift towards a data-driven lifestyle. Executive Vice Chairman Maida Wada shared these insights at the 93rd Telecom Consumer Parliament in Abuja.
However, despite this growth, many consumers express frustration over rapid data depletion.
Maida emphasized that Nigeria is not alone in addressing these concerns, citing countries like Botswana as example.
He said the NCC has taken steps to address these issues, analyzing consumer complaints and identifying data depletion and billing as primary concerns.
As Nigeria continues to navigate its digital transformation, the NCC's boss said efforts to address consumer concerns and promote sustainable growth will be crucial in shaping the country's digital future.
Citing a recent global report on data usage, the NCC Chief said there are now over 5 billion internet users, with Nigeria alone accounting for 132 million connections.
According to him, Nigerians spend an average of 4 hours and 20 minutes on social media daily, far above the global average, underscoring how deeply embedded digital interaction is in our lives.
On the parliament, he said the theme was timely, as internet use has become essential to daily life, and their role at the NCC is to not only to ensure accessibility but to enhance service delivery for consumers.
He said, "Over the past two decades, the telecommunications landscape in Nigeria has transformed from basic voice services to high-speed data that connects, informs, and powers innovations.
"With the rollout of 3G, 4G, and now 5G, we've seen Nigerians adopting social media, e-commerce, online banking, and more.The introduction of 3G networks in the mid-2000s marked the beginning of this shift, enabling basic browsing and email. The leap to 4G
LTE brought faster speeds, enabling video streaming, online gaming, and a myriad of digital activities.
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"Now, with 5G promising even faster speeds and lower latency, new frontiers are opening for innovations such as smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and the Internet of Things, driving further demand for data.
"Today, as data consumption grows, fueled by digital advancements, we must address consumer concerns over data depletion and billing transparency."
The parliament featured panel, and interactive sessions where aggrieved consumers unbottled their complaints and sought regulatory intervention.
