May 2025 marked a significant milestone for Nigeria as internet usage surged to a record high of 1.04 million terabytes, reflecting the country’s digital economy amidst economic challenges.
Record Internet Usage
In May 2025, Nigeria's internet usage climbed to 1,043,431.98 terabytes, surpassing the previous record of 1,000,930.60 terabytes set in January. This surge underscores the growing reliance on digital technology in the country.
Tariffs and Economic Realities
Despite the increase in internet usage, a 50% hike in tariffs for voice, data, and SMS services in January 2025 raised concerns among users and initially led to a decline in data consumption. It is evident that Nigerians are adapting to the new pricing, as reflected in the rise in data figures for May.
Quality of Service Challenges
Despite the rising data revenues for operators, issues with service quality remain unresolved. Frequent service outages and insufficient infrastructure improvements are causing dissatisfaction among users. Problems like vandalism of fiber-optic lines continue to impact service quality.
The surge in internet usage in Nigeria is an indicator of its youthful population and the burgeoning digital economy. However, issues of accessibility and service quality remain pressing challenges that require attention from authorities and operators.
