Internet data consumption in Nigeria dropped by 17,647 terabytes between January and April 2025 after a new data pricing policy pushed the cost of telecom services higher. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) approved a 50 per cent increase in tariffs in February 2025, citing inflation, rising energy prices, and forex issues as the reasons behind the decision.
According to the latest industry report from the NCC, Nigeria’s total internet usage reduced from 1,000,930.60 terabytes in January to 983,283.43 terabytes in April. This is a 1.76 per cent drop in just three months. The increase in tariffs pushed the average price of 1GB of data from N287.50 to N431.25, making internet access more expensive for Nigerians.
The effects of the new pricing were immediately felt in February. Internet data usage fell sharply to 893,054.80 terabytes, a 10.8 per cent drop from the January figure. By March, there was a short-term rebound to 995,876.10 terabytes as some users adjusted their usage habits. But this recovery did not last. In April, data usage declined again by 12,592.67 terabytes compared to March.
The fall in data usage was also matched by a drop in the number of internet subscribers. Nigeria had 142,161,409 internet users in January 2025, including users on mobile GSM networks, fixed broadband, internet service providers (ISPs), and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). By April, that number dropped to 141,985,207, a loss of 176,202 subscribers.
The biggest monthly decline happened in February, when over 911,000 subscribers left the network, bringing the figure down to 141,250,113. In March, the number rose slightly to 142,053,537 before falling again in April.
Mobile GSM users, who make up the majority of internet users in Nigeria, decreased from 141.65 million in January to 141.47 million in April. Fixed broadband users rose slightly during the same period, increasing from 14,053 to 17,175. This shows some growth in wired broadband services, possibly due to users searching for more reliable internet options.
Meanwhile, ISP subscriptions stayed the same at 285,702. However, VoIP subscriptions increased steadily from 206,067 in January to 210,959 in April, reflecting small growth in voice-over-internet services.
Despite the short-term drop, data consumption in April 2025 was higher compared to the same period in 2024. Nigerians used 983,283.43 terabytes in April 2025 compared to 766,708.12 terabytes in April 2024, showing a 28.2 per cent year-on-year increase.
However, the total number of internet users declined sharply over the same period. In April 2024, Nigeria had 164,555,776 internet subscribers. By April 2025, that figure had fallen to 141,985,207, meaning over 22.57 million users dropped off the network in one year—a 13.7 per cent fall.
This huge drop is largely due to the disconnection of SIM cards not linked to the National Identification Number (NIN), as well as a subscriber audit carried out by telecom operators. These regulatory moves led to the removal of many unregistered or inactive lines.
Going forward, Nigerians may face even higher costs for telecom services. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, which brings back a 5 per cent excise duty on telecom services. The bill was passed by the Senate on May 8, 2025, and covers phone calls, text messages, and internet data. This new tax is expected to further increase the cost of communication in Nigeria.
Telecom experts and consumer advocates have expressed concern about the affordability of internet access in the country. With the economy struggling and digital services becoming more important for work, education, and daily life, many Nigerians may find it harder to stay connected.
