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Nigerians are surfing the web at record rates, with data consumption reaching an all-time high of 721,522 terabytes in January 2024.
This surpasses the previous record of 713,200 terabytes set in December 2023, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The rising data usage coincides with a growth in internet subscriptions. Active subscriptions reached 161,977,883 in January, up from 156,244,368 a year earlier.
This increase reflects Nigerians' growing reliance on the internet for communication, entertainment, and work.
Mobile phones remain the dominant platform for internet access, with mobile subscriptions accounting for over 99% of the total.
However, there's a gradual shift towards faster connections.
Fixed broadband subscriptions reached 92 million, while 4G subscriptions grew to 31.75% of the market share, indicating a preference for high-speed internet.
While 5G subscriptions are still in their early stages (1.11% in January 2024), they are slowly gaining traction.
This aligns with the global trend of increasing 5G adoption. However, Africa continues to lag behind, with a continent-wide 5G coverage rate of just 6% in December 2023, according to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
This disparity can be attributed to the continued reliance on older, more established technologies like 2G and 3G networks.
These legacy systems remain crucial for many African nations, particularly those with lower-income economies, as they offer a cost-effective way to provide basic mobile services in areas without access to newer technologies.
The NCC's data highlights a booming internet landscape in Nigeria. As data consumption and internet subscriptions continue to rise, it will be interesting to see how the country navigates the transition from older networks to faster, more advanced 5G technology.
