Data consumption in Nigeria hits record high of 7.89 Exabytes in nine months, says NCC

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reported an unprecedented surge in data consumption across the country, reaching 7.891 exabytes between January and September 2024. This record-breaking figure highlights the growing dependence of individuals and businesses on the Internet for both work and leisure.

A breakdown of the data reveals that Nigerians consumed 721,522 terabytes in January, 694,804.54 terabytes in February, and 753,388.77 terabytes in March, totaling 2.17 exabytes in the first quarter.

Data usage further accelerated in the second quarter, with 766,708.12 terabytes in April, 771,993.56 terabytes in May, and 798,583.81 terabytes in June, amounting to 2.337 exabytes.

The third quarter saw even higher usage, with 829,584.47 terabytes in July, 853,954.05 terabytes in August, and 850,249.09 terabytes in September, totaling 2.533 exabytes for the quarter.

During the review period, the number of internet subscribers fluctuated between 131.44 million and a peak of 164.16 million, reflecting an expanding online population.

At a recent forum in Abuja, NCC Executive Vice Chairman Dr. Aminu Maida noted that Nigeria’s daily data usage had risen sharply by 39% compared to the previous year, averaging 336 gigabytes per second. He referenced a global report indicating over 5 billion internet users worldwide, with Nigeria contributing 132 million connections.

Dr. Maida also highlighted that Nigerians spend an average of 4 hours and 20 minutes on social media daily, significantly surpassing the global average, emphasizing the country’s deep integration into the digital landscape.

The figures underline the critical role of the internet in powering modern-day interactions and economic activities across Nigeria.

He said: “Over the past two decades, the telecommunications landscape in Nigeria has transformed from basic voice services to high-speed data that connects, informs, and powers innovations.

“With the rollout of 3G, 4G, and now 5G, we’ve seen Nigerians adopting social media, e-commerce, online banking, and more. The introduction of 3G networks in the mid-2000s marked the beginning of this shift, enabling basic browsing and email and the leap to 4G.”

He noted Long term Evolution (LTE) technology brought faster speeds, enabling video streaming, online gaming, and a myriad of digital activities.

“Now, with 5G promising even faster speeds and lower latency, new frontiers are opening for innovations such as smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and the Internet of Things, driving further demand for data.”

Meanwhile, checks by BUSINESS METRICS showed that as of September 2024, internet connection mix in Nigeria is powered by 3.53% second generation (2G), 9.32% third generation (3G), 44.96% fourth generation and 2.19% fifth generation (5G) technologies.