Nigeria’s Monthly Data Consumption Hits 721,522 Terabytes

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has revealed that Data consumption for January 2024, reached 721,522 terabytes, the highest monthly consumption ever recorded.

It also noted that active Internet subscriptions totaled 161,977,883, reflecting a substantial increase from the 156,244,368 subscriptions, the Internet penetration remained robust at 42.53 percent, with broadband subscriptions totaling 92,195,937 million.

According to the data obtained on Tuesday from the regulator’s website,  it showed that  Data consumption for January  2024, hits 721,522 terabytes, a record surpassing  December 2023, that stood at 713,200 terabytes.

Active Internet subscriptions totaled 161,977,883, reflecting a substantial increase from the 156,244,368 subscriptions recorded in January of the preceding year.

Of significance to note is the fact that different service providers make up the number of Internet subscriptions; they include telcos (mobile), Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Fixed

However, NCC indicates that mobile subscriptions accounted for 161,504,390, with Internet service providers—wired or wireless—recording 213,876 subscriptions, fixed wire connections totaling 21,437, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) reaching 238,180.

Although, according to the NCC, January 2024 witnessed a decline of 1.9 million Internet users compared to December 2023, dropping from 163.8 million to 161.9 million.

The data show that 2G connections remain predominant, but the proportion of 4G subscriptions has been steadily rising.

In terms of market share by network generations, 2G accounted for 57.78% in January 2024, 3G was 9.36 percent in January, and in December 2023 it was 9.80%.

4G subscriptions increased from 31.33 percent in December 2023 to 31.75 percent, indicating a growing preference for high-speed connectivity.

5G subscriptions accounted for 1.11 percent of all connections in Nigeria in January 2024, up from 1.04 percent recorded in December 2023.

The International Telecommunications Union, a specialized agency of the United Nations recently revealed that Africa maintains the lowest 5G coverage rate globally, standing at only 6 percent as of December 2023.

This disparity is attributed in part to the ongoing significance of older mobile technologies, particularly 2G and 3G networks, across the continent.

The ITU report highlighted the persistence of 2G and 3G networks in many African countries, contrasting with their phase-out in developed nations.

These legacy technologies remain integral to the telecommunications landscape in African nations, particularly those with lower-income economies.

In its report, the ITU underscored the continued predominance of 2G and 3G networks in countries like Nigeria. These technologies offer a cost-effective means of delivering essential mobile services, such as voice calls and text messages, particularly in regions lacking access to 4G and 5G networks.