*As data usage surges past 3.3 million terabytes in three months
*August alone records 1.15 million terabytes — NCC
*Rural communities account for less than 25%
By Juliet Umeh
While Nigeria’s cities are buzzing with online activity, from streaming and financial technology to e-learning and remote work, millions of citizens in interior and rural communities remain locked out of the digital revolution.
Despite the country’s impressive data growth, the divide between connected and disconnected Nigerians remains glaring.
According to the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Nigeria recorded 1,152,347.24 terabytes of data usage in August 2025 alone, a sharp rise from 1,131,255.90 terabytes in July and 1,044,073.08 terabytes in June. In total, the country consumed over 3.3 million terabytes of data in just three months, reflecting the rapid digital expansion across major cities. Yet, this growth tells only half the story.
Urban dominance and the rural digital gap
Available indicators reveal that rural communities account for less than 25 percent of Nigeria’s total data usage, underscoring a persistent and painful digital gap.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, in its ICT Access and Usage by Individuals and Households in Nigeria Report, 2022, only 23 percent of rural Nigerians used the internet, compared to more than 60 percent in urban centres. This was further reinforced by the GSMA Mobile Connectivity Index, 2023, which showed that rural internet adoption remains between 20 and 25 percent, while urban usage exceeds 60 percent.
These figures suggest that by 2025, cities such as Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt are responsible for as much as 75 to 80 percent of total data consumption, despite nationwide growth in connectivity.
The National Broadband Plan, NBP 2020–2025, had projected 70 percent broadband penetration by 2025, but as of early 2025, penetration still hovered below 50 percent, according to the NCC. The shortfall is largely attributed to limited connectivity in rural regions, where even making a phone call can be a challenge.
In a state like Abia, the State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, in March, launched an ambitious statewide digital transformation project aimed at connecting all communities in the state to reliable internet service within nine months. The project known as the Umuahia Dedicated Internet Access/Wide Area Network and Managed Network Services Project, the initiative marks the first phase of a broader plan to digitise governance and expand broadband access across Abia State.
Executed by IPNX Nigeria, the project involves laying fibre-optic cables across public institutions, distributing high-performance digital tools to ministries, departments, and agencies, and installing infrastructure to support high-speed data transmission.
Governor Otti explained: “This project will not only improve service delivery but also bridge the digital divide between rural and urban communities. Our goal is to build a ‘New Abia’ digitally connected, economically empowered, and globally competitive.”
Despite this effort, in Isuochi, a farming community in Umunneochi, Abia State, a schoolteacher, Mrs. Nnenna Okonkwo, shared her frustration:
She said: “We hear about 5G and online learning, but here, even 3G struggles to connect. Sometimes, you have to walk to a hill to make a call or send a message.”
Similarly, in Okpoga, Benue State, residents rely on a single network that barely functions. A trader, Mr. Matthew Abo, lamented: “I have to travel several kilometres just to check prices online or send a WhatsApp message. We are completely cut off from what people in the city enjoy daily.”
For many of these communities, the digital economy that policymakers celebrate still feels like a distant dream.
Experts warn of growing inequality
Telecom experts have warned that Nigeria’s growing digital inequality threatens both economic growth and social inclusion.
A broadband policy consultant, Mr. Ikechukwu Nwokolo, observed that while national data consumption is rising, the benefits remain concentrated in urban centres.
He said: “The digital divide is deepening. If rural areas remain unconnected, Nigeria’s data revolution will only widen social and economic inequality. Millions of young people in rural communities are missing out on education, job opportunities, and access to vital information that the internet provides.”
Challenges: Vandalism, infrastructure, and affordability
The NCC and industry stakeholders have repeatedly expressed concern over the vandalism of telecom infrastructure, a major obstacle to expanding connectivity nationwide.
However, poor road networks, erratic power supply, and low commercial viability in rural areas further discourage operators from investing.
Even in locations with network coverage, affordability remains a barrier. According to the Alliance for Affordable Internet, A4AI, 2023 Affordability Report, some rural Nigerians spend up to 20 percent of their monthly income on data, compared to less than five percent in urban areas.
A youth leader from Imo State, Mrs. Esther Obi, said:“We want to learn digital skills, but how can we when we can’t even access stable internet? Most training programmes assume everyone has good connectivity, but that’s not true for us.”
Government and private efforts falling short
The Universal Service Provision Fund, USPF, managed by the NCC, was established to extend telecom services to unserved and underserved areas. While it has deployed several rural base stations, experts argue that progress remains slow relative to the scale of need.
Similarly, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, led by Dr. Bosun Tijani, has rolled out initiatives such as Broadband for All and community connectivity projects. However, industry analysts insist that stronger policy incentives and public-private collaboration are critical to accelerate investment in rural infrastructure.
The cost of exclusion
Digital exclusion is not merely a connectivity issue; it is a social and economic risk. Students in rural schools lose access to online resources; farmers miss real-time market information; and small businesses are excluded from e-commerce and digital finance opportunities.
Experts note that every 10 percent increase in broadband penetration can boost GDP by about 2 percent according to the World Bank, Digital Economy Report 2023. By lagging behind in rural broadband adoption, Nigeria risks losing billions of naira in potential economic value.
Bridging the divide
Experts emphasized that closing this gap will require deliberate policy reforms, rural investment, and community-based digital literacy programmes. They recommend renewable-powered base stations, local partnerships, and rural internet cooperatives to ensure that the benefits of connectivity reach the last mile.
Until then, Nigeria’s digital revolution will remain largely urban, a tale of two realities, where one part of the country surfs in the cloud while the other still waits for a signal.
File name: Photo for lead: 06/10/2025
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