Nigeria’s growing demand for digital services is putting connectivity, computing capacity and digital infrastructure firmly on the investment agenda, as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) convened stakeholders at the Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum in Abuja.
The two-day forum, held from 29 to 30 September 2026, brought together regulators, investors, infrastructure providers and development partners to examine the investment requirements for expanding Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
Data Consumption Rises to 1.66 Million Terabytes
The scale of the infrastructure requirement is reflected in Nigeria’s rapidly increasing data consumption.
According to NCC statistics, national internet usage reached 1.662 million terabytes in July 2026, compared with 1.131 million terabytes in July 2025. That represents an increase of approximately 47% in one year.
The NCC said sustaining this growth will require investment in network expansion, modernisation and service-quality improvements.
NCC Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Aminu Maida, said the investment challenge extends beyond expanding coverage to ensuring that existing users have access to better service quality and infrastructure capable of supporting future technologies.
NITDA Puts Connectivity, Compute and Talent at the Centre
NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi called for increased investment across three interconnected areas: connectivity, compute infrastructure and digital talent.
He described connectivity as foundational infrastructure for productivity and inclusive economic growth, while highlighting the importance of computing capacity and skilled talent for sectors including financial services, healthcare, education and agriculture.
The NITDA DG also linked stronger digital infrastructure and human capital to Nigeria's ability to capture opportunities created by data and artificial intelligence.
The Physical Infrastructure Behind the Digital Economy
The investment discussion has a direct physical-infrastructure dimension.
Expanding connectivity and computing capacity requires more than telecommunications equipment. It can involve data centres, fibre-optic networks, telecommunications towers, power infrastructure, backup generation, cooling systems, security installations and specialised building works.
For contractors and engineering firms, this creates a project environment where telecommunications and digital infrastructure increasingly intersect with conventional construction and electrical engineering.
Data centres, for example, require specialised mechanical and electrical systems alongside conventional building structures. Fibre deployment requires civil works, ducts, access infrastructure and rights-of-way, while telecommunications facilities require dependable power and supporting infrastructure.
The NCC itself identified network expansion and modernisation as part of the investment required to sustain the country's rising data demand.
Why Contractors and Developers Should Pay Attention
Digital infrastructure is becoming a construction market: Data centres, fibre networks, telecom facilities and supporting power systems require civil, structural, electrical and mechanical contractors.
Power remains integral to digital infrastructure: Increasing computing capacity creates corresponding requirements for reliable electricity, backup systems, cooling and power-management infrastructure.
Rights-of-way remain relevant to project delivery: Fibre and telecommunications deployment depends on access to physical corridors and infrastructure, making approvals and right-of-way arrangements important project considerations.
Demand is being driven by measurable usage growth: Nigeria's data consumption increased from 1.13 million TB in July 2025 to 1.66 million TB in July 2026, giving infrastructure investors a measurable indicator of rising network demand.
AI adds another infrastructure layer: As cloud computing and AI adoption expand, demand for computing capacity, storage, connectivity, and associated physical infrastructure is likely to become increasingly important to digital infrastructure planning.
Nomarc Market Signal
Nigeria's digital infrastructure market is increasingly becoming a physical infrastructure market.
The 47% year-on-year increase in data consumption provides a clear demand signal, while the NCC and NITDA are now framing connectivity, computing capacity and digital talent as interconnected requirements for the next phase of digital development.
For the built environment, the important shift is that digital infrastructure can no longer be viewed solely as a telecommunications-sector issue. Its expansion depends on land, buildings, power, cooling, fibre corridors, civil works and specialised engineering capacity.
That creates a growing intersection between Nigeria's technology investment pipeline and its construction and infrastructure ecosystem.
Key Project & Market Data
Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum 29–30 September 2026
July 2026 data consumption: 1.662 million TB
July 2025 data consumption: 1.131 million TB
Year-on-year growth: ~47%
NITDA investment priorities: Connectivity, compute, digital talent
Key infrastructure implications: Fibre, data centres, power, cooling, telecom facilities
Sources: Nigerian Communications Commission; National Information Technology Development Agency.
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