The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has set out its vision for the year ahead, promising Nigerians a communications sector that delivers stronger networks, fairer value, and greater protection for consumers. In his New Year message, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Aminu Maida, said the Commission’s focus in 2026 will be on improving the everyday experience of telecom users while ensuring the industry remains commercially viable and sustainable.
Dr. Maida described Nigeria’s communications sector as an essential service that connects families, supports businesses, enables education and healthcare, and powers the digital economy. He stressed that the balance between consumer satisfaction and operator sustainability must be maintained. If consumers do not experience reliable and affordable service, trust is eroded; and if operators cannot invest sustainably, growth stalls. When this balance is achieved, he said, trust is built, investment flows, innovation thrives, and more Nigerians can participate meaningfully in the digital economy.
Reflecting on 2025, the NCC noted that the sector recorded significant progress. Over 2,800 new and upgraded sites were deployed nationwide, broadband subscriptions grew from 96.3 million to 109.6 million, and penetration rose from 44.43 percent to 50.58 percent. Median mobile download speeds on 4G increased by 24 percent, while average speeds rose by 18 percent. Coverage also expanded, with 4G reaching 85 percent of the population and 5G extending to 13 percent. These gains, supported by Project BRIDGE—a federal initiative targeting 90,000 kilometers of fibre deployment—have strengthened Nigeria’s digital backbone and set the stage for faster, more reliable broadband services.
Dr. Maida acknowledged that challenges remain. Consumers still experience inconsistent service quality in some areas, congestion in busy locations, outages linked to power shortages and infrastructure damage, and slow complaint resolution. Operators, meanwhile, face rising operating costs, energy and logistics constraints, right-of-way issues, and persistent vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure. Yet, he insisted that the gains of 2025 show what is possible, and the task ahead is to deepen those gains, close remaining gaps, and raise service standards across the board.
Looking forward, the NCC pledged to intensify quality of service monitoring, strengthen incident reporting, and drive practical measures to improve availability and performance. It will reinforce tariff transparency, billing accuracy, and customer care standards, while ensuring consumers are protected against misleading practices. The Commission also promised to promote fair competition, prevent anti-competitive conduct, and operationalize the revised Corporate Governance Code to strengthen accountability in the sector. At the same time, it will expand cybersecurity frameworks and strengthen the Internet Code of Practice to ensure Nigerians can use the internet with confidence, protected from fraud, impersonation, cyberbullying, and harmful content.
Dr. Maida emphasized that progress requires collective action. He pointed to ongoing collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria, which has already ensured refunds for failed airtime and data transactions within strict timelines. He also highlighted partnerships with the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to protect critical infrastructure, as well as engagement with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to ease deployment bottlenecks and accelerate rollout at state and local levels.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Maida thanked consumers for their patience and for holding the sector accountable, noting that their feedback strengthens the industry. He also expressed gratitude to operators and industry partners for their investments and the thousands of Nigerians working daily to keep networks running, often under difficult conditions. “Our expectation this year is clear,” he said. “Measurable improvement in consumer experience. Stronger networks, clearer communication, better customer care, and stricter compliance. Together, we will build a communications ecosystem where businesses can grow and Nigerians can thrive.”