Nigeria’s internet penetration crossed the 50% mark in November 2025, reaching 50.58%, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The milestone shows steady progress, but it remains well below the 70% broadband target set under the National Broadband Plan (NBP) 2020–2025, which ends in December.
The figure rose from 45.61% in January, a gain of almost five percentage points over the year. Even with this improvement, growth has not been fast enough to meet the plan’s goals within its timeline.
The NBP set ambitious targets to drive digital inclusion. These included extending effective broadband coverage to at least 90% of the population, achieving minimum download speeds of 25 Mbps in urban areas and 10 Mbps in rural regions, and keeping data prices at or below ₦390 per 1GB. As the plan enters its final weeks, Nigeria’s broadband landscape still falls short of these benchmarks.
By November 2025, broadband subscriptions stood at about 109 million. However, progress has been uneven. Nigeria missed its interim 2023 target of 50% penetration and ended 2024 at 44.43%. Persistent structural and regulatory challenges have slowed expansion. Fibre optic vandalism remains a major problem, with between 30 and 43 cuts reported daily. High Right-of-Way fees and falling subscription numbers, including the loss of more than one million users in early 2025, have also affected network growth and reliability.
Several factors have supported recent gains. Expansion of mobile networks, especially 3G and 4G, has driven most new connections, while limited 5G rollouts have added capacity in major cities. Lower smartphone prices and competitive data plans have helped more Nigerians get online. In addition, policy initiatives such as the NBP and investments in the National Communications Backbone have encouraged private sector activity, particularly in underserved and rural areas.
The gap between targets and reality reflects high deployment costs, infrastructure gaps, and coverage limits. Operators continue to face expensive Right-of-Way charges, multiple levies, and rising energy costs needed to run base stations, especially outside cities. Fibre and last-mile networks have not expanded quickly beyond major urban centres, leaving many communities unconnected.
Despite these challenges, the NCC says the 70% penetration target remains the sector’s main objective. With continued investment in mobile broadband, rising smartphone adoption, and further expansion of 4G and LTE networks, internet access is expected to keep improving, even if the original 2025 target is unlikely to be achieved on schedule.
