Nigeria’s mobile phone operators plan to invest over N1.4 trillion (US$1 billion) in network infrastructure this year, surpassing last year’s spending, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said on Thursday.
Last year, telecom companies rolled out more than 2,850 new network sites, extending coverage across urban centres, rural areas, and major transport corridors, while supporting the gradual rollout of 5G services.
“The improvements captured in our latest network performance report are largely driven by the investments made in 2025,” NCC Executive Vice Chairman Dr Aminu Maida said. “We have secured commitments from operators to exceed their 2025 investment levels in 2026, with infrastructure development continuing in earnest.”
Africa’s most populous nation faces rising demand for mobile data, higher operating costs, and pressure to provide reliable connectivity beyond urban centres. Last year’s investment followed a 50 percent tariff increase approved by the NCC and the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, which helped operators restore profitability and resume ambitious infrastructure plans.
The NCC’s Q4 2025 report, presented virtually, showed gains in key performance indicators, including improvements in median download speeds and a narrowing of the video quality gap between urban and rural areas. Nigeria’s 4G network backbone was also strengthened.
Despite progress, the regulator noted persistent gaps in 5G availability, uneven upload speeds, and limited coverage in some parts of the country. “The planned increase in infrastructure spending in 2026 will be critical to closing coverage gaps and meeting growing demand for data services,” Maida said.
The commission said network performance reports are based on independently verified data from global network intelligence firm Ookla and are part of its push for transparent, data-driven regulation.
With operators scaling up investment, the NCC expects continued improvements in network reliability, speed, and coverage, supporting a more inclusive digital ecosystem for both urban and underserved communities.
