The latest industry statistics from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reveal a decline in internet data consumption following a 50% tariff increase that raised the cost of 1GB of data from N287.50 to N431.25.
Between January and April 2025, total internet usage fell by 17,647 terabytes, dropping from 1,000,930.60 terabytes in January to 983,283.43 terabytes in April, marking a 1.76% decrease.
The most significant drop occurred in February, immediately after the tariff hike, with usage falling to 893,054.80 terabytes, a 10.8% decrease from January. However, a slight rebound was recorded in March, indicating gradual adaptation by subscribers.
The tariff adjustment was approved by the NCC in February, in response to rising inflation, foreign exchange volatility, and surging energy costs affecting telecom operators. The price increase has forced many users to cut back on data consumption, impacting overall internet activity.
Despite the drop in data usage, broadband penetration improved, rising from 45.61% in January to 48.15% in April, suggesting continued expansion of high-speed internet access.
The industry now awaits further adjustments and potential interventions to balance affordability with service sustainability.
