Stakeholders Fret over Slide in Broadband Subscription, Penetration, Call for Accelerated Growth

Emma Okonji

Industry stakeholders are worried over the slight slide in broadband subscription and penetration in the month of August 2023, calling on the telecoms industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to expedite action on accelerated broadband growth across the country.

The stakeholders under the aegis of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), said the development became worrisome for active broadband subscriptions to drop from 96,169,176 in May 2023 to 86,993,472 in August 2023, a development, they said, also affected broadband penetration, which also dropped from 48.28 per cent in May 2023 to 45.57 per cent in August 2023.       

Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, called on NCC to begin to address those indices that may have led to the slight drop in broadband subscription and penetration across the country.

According to the current statistics released on the official website of the Nigerian Communications Commission, broadband subscription reached 96,169,176 in May 2023, but the number dropped slightly to 89,730,341 in June, and it maintained the same figure in July, before sliding again to 86,993,472 in August 2023. The situation also affected broadband penetration within the same period, as broadband penetration reached 48.28 per cent in May 2023, but dropped to 47.01 per cent in June and July, with a further drop to 45.57 per cent in August 2023.     

Similarly, active internet subscription also dropped within the same period, according to NCC statistics.

Active internet subscriptions dropped from 159,038,0228 in May 2023 to 158,475,341 in August same year. The statistics showed that in April 2023, active internet subscription was 157,667,708, before rising to 159,038,028 in May 2023, but experienced a slight slide in June same year when it drooped again to 158,944,660. It however picked up slightly in July to reach 158,982,962, but dropped again in August to 158,475,341.  

The NCC statistics however showed a steady rise in the number of internet data usage from February to August 2023. According to the statistics, in February 2023, internet data usage was 507,307.37 terabytes, but it rose to 562,960.57 terabytes in March same year, before sliding to 556,540.42 terabytes in April. The figure however increased again to 581,472.8 in May and also increased to 587,865.58 in June same year.

In july 2023, it increased to 615,207.39 terabytes and later increased again to 655,879.86 terabytes in August 2023.

Nigeria as a country, had always had a tall dream in achieving high level of broadband subscriptions and penetration, a development that prompted the federal government to set for itself, a target of 30 per cent broadband penetration level in 2018 in its National Broadband Plan, which it eventually surpassed. In 2020, the federal government developed the 2020-2025 National Broadband Plan, with a target to achieve 70 per cent broadband penetration by 2025.  

Industry stakeholders are however hopeful that Nigeria will likely surpass the 70 per cent broadband penetration, if all factors currently militating against broadband penetration and subscriptions are adequately addressed by the telecoms industry regulator.