Broadband Internet penetration grows to 43.3% with 82.7m subscriptions in Nigeria

Subscriptions to high speed or broadband internet services in Nigeria have increased significantly to a peak of 82.7 million as at the end of August, 2020, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The Commission has increased broadband penetration from less than 6 percent in 2015 to 43.30 percent by August 2020, which translates to 82,653,247 broadband subscriptions in the country.

The Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami said that Nigeria’s quest to become a truly digital economy is on course with the launch of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) in November 2019.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Umar Garba Danbatta said: ”Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and, more specifically, broadband infrastructure has become the major backbone for government activities and local businesses. Such services require fast broadband and reliable connectivity. NCC will continue to work assiduously with its stakeholders in ensuring that the nation’s ICT infrastructure is able to meet the increased demand for connectivity occasioned by the pandemic.”

”The NCC has been the major linkage in the drive for optimum economic development, as it remains the pioneer for all the major disruptions that would drive the nation’s economic reboot, especially the financial systems riding on electronic innovations. These innovations are driven by the availability of a robust communications infrastructure made possible by the Commission’s continuous quest for investment in the sector,” he added.