Nigeria’s average internet download speed in urban areas rose to 20.5 megabits per second in the fourth quarter of 2025 from 19Mbps recorded in Q3.
This is according to the latest Industry Performance Report released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
There was, however, a decline in speed for Nigerians dwelling in rural areas as they experienced an average speed of 11Mbps, lower than the 12.7Mbps recorded in the previous quarter.
The industry report highlights challenges amid increased investments by telecom operators and the regulator’s push to bridge connectivity gaps across the country.
What the Commission is saying
Presenting the report to the media and industry stakeholders during a webinar, NCC’s Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Edoyemi Ogoh, noted that where the industry has made significant progress, there is still a need for improvements in many areas.
Ogoh said the 20.5 Mbps urban figure represents the median experience across all mobile network operators in the country.
However, he noted that performance in rural areas has improved when compared with earlier in the year.
“Earlier in the year, the download speed in rural areas was about 8 to 9 Mbps. At the end of the year, we’re doing about 11, so there’s a slight improvement, though there was a decline when you compare Q3 strictly to Q4,” he said.
- The NCC said the gap between urban and rural broadband performance remains a major concern, with improvements happening faster in cities than in less populated areas.
- He attributed the trend partly to network investments, noting that operators added more than 2,800 new sites over the past year, most of which were deployed in urban areas to address congestion.
More insights
Latency performance also showed clear disparities between urban and rural areas. Ogoh said users generally enjoy better latency and overall experience in urban centres as operators roll out new sites.
- From an operator perspective, he noted that MTN, Airtel and Glo perform relatively well on latency in urban areas, with MTN leading.
- In rural areas, MTN and Airtel recorded comparatively better latency, while Glo and T2 showed weaker performance.
“The challenge this provides is that when you are in rural areas, you basically have less experience-wise, especially if you’re using video services or uploading large content,” Ogoh said, adding that users on some networks may struggle with video uploads and interactive platforms in rural locations.
What the NCC is doing
Commenting on the report, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, said the report reflected the Commission’s commitment to transparent, data-driven regulation and the continuous improvement of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
He said the Commission is actively engaging with operators to address the issues observed, including gaps in mobile service coverage.
“In 2025, over $1 billion in industry investment resulted in the deployment of more than 2,850 new sites to expand both coverage and capacity nationwide.
“Much of the progress reflected in today’s reports is a direct outcome of these investments,” the EVC stated.
He added that the NCC has secured commitments from operators to exceed their 2025 investment levels in 2026, with infrastructure investments continuing in earnest.
What you should know
Last year, the Commission disclosed that its decision to return to market-driven pricing had already attracted over $1 billion in fresh infrastructure investments in 2025, just months after the move took effect.
- According to the EVC, the policy introduced in January and February 2025 gave mobile network operators (MNOs) the green light to adjust tariffs by up to 50% after nearly a decade of stagnant pricing.
- Maida explained that the new pricing regime reversed years of under-investment that slowed network expansion and weakened service quality.
- He pointed out that before now, the value chain was lopsided—tower companies could adjust prices annually for inflation and FX rates, but MNOs were stuck with fixed tariffs.
