NCDC boss, Maida, said Nigerians consume 1.7 million terabytes of data in one year

The Deputy Executive Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Wada Maida, has revealed that Nigerians consume more than 1.66 million terabytes of data in a year.

Maida stated this on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the two-day Nigeria Digital Connectivity and Investment Forum organized by the Commission in collaboration with SwedFund and Okla held in Abuja.

According to him, this figure represents an increase in data consumption of 47 percent compared to the previous year’s consumption of 1.33 million terabytes.

In light of this, EVC said Nigeria needs continued investment and network expansion to improve the telecom consumer experience.

This forum raised the theme: Opening barriers to infrastructure investment through data, transparency and partnerships.

He said the Investment Forum was held as Nigeria commemorated the 25th anniversary of GSM, and noted that policy reforms and a transparent licensing process gave private investors the confidence to enter the telecommunications market.

He said the Forum also provides an opportunity for all stakeholders to discuss openly and develop strong recommendations to advance the sector in line with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda to achieve the country’s one trillion dollar economy.

He said the NCC has worked to improve investment conditions in the telecommunications sector, taking its mandate seriously alongside its duty to protect consumers and promote healthy competition in the industry.

Dr Maida said, “We have been working to improve investment conditions. Tariff adjustments in 2025 address the financial pressures on operators and their ability to invest, with clear expectations of better service for consumers.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s designation of telecommunications infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure has strengthened the basis for protecting these assets.

“Our engagement with state government on Right of Way also helps address deployment costs.

“We know that investors need confidence in how the rules will be applied and how decisions will be made. We also know that there is still a lot of work to be done to overcome the practical difficulties in their implementation.

“This forum is an opportunity to discuss these difficulties openly with those who can help resolve them. We make evidence-based decision-making central to the way we govern.

“For investors, this means a clearer understanding of the opportunities that exist and greater confidence in the basis of our decision-making. For us, this means understanding what is holding back investment, choosing interventions carefully, and checking whether they work.”

In her remarks, the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Anna Westerholm, said it was clear that her country was committed to building on the relationship that has existed for 65 years with Nigeria, as evidenced by the large number of Swedish representatives who attended the investment forum.

He said the opportunities offered by the partnership with Nigeria should help both countries review the past and the future, stating that “we want to see more Swedish companies engaging with Nigeria, more investment, more partnerships between Swedish and Nigerian businesses, and more Swedish technology and expertise contributing to Nigeria’s development priorities.”