The Affiliation of Telecommunication Corporations of Nigeria (ATCON) has projected that Nigeria’s telecoms trade will transition from a part of consolidation in 2025 to enlargement in 2026.
This was disclosed by ATCON President, Mr Tony Emoekpere, whereas outlining his outlook for the sector in an interview with the Information Company of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
The enlargement is predicted to be pushed by renewed investor confidence, rising digital demand, and improved coverage coordination.
In keeping with him, the trade is coming into 2026 with stronger fundamentals, supported by collaborative efforts amongst operators, regulators, and the Federal Authorities to deepen digital inclusion.
What the ATCON President is saying
Emoekpere mentioned the outlook displays the sector’s resilience regardless of financial and operational pressures over the previous yr.
Reflecting on 2025, Emoekpere described the yr as one marked by stabilisation and cautious capital self-discipline.
He famous that telecom operators, tower firms, and web service suppliers didn’t retreat regardless of challenges resembling rising vitality prices, overseas change volatility, excessive gear import prices, and protracted Proper-of-Manner (RoW) bottlenecks.
As an alternative, he mentioned trade gamers targeted on community densification in high-demand corridors and accelerated the transition to photo voltaic and hybrid vitality programs to cut back reliance on diesel.
Broadband development and rising information demand
In keeping with Emoekpere, information from the Nigerian Communications Fee (NCC) exhibits that Nigeria’s broadband penetration crossed the 50% mark in 2025.
- He attributed this milestone to surging information consumption, as digital funds, streaming providers, cloud computing, and different on-line platforms grew to become embedded in on a regular basis life.
- He additionally credited the NCC with enjoying a key confidence-building function by sustaining clear trade reporting, implementing High quality of Service (QoS) requirements, and guaranteeing environment friendly spectrum administration.
“These actions have helped protect investor confidence within the sector,” he mentioned.
“If 2025 was about endurance, 2026 have to be about execution, pace, and scale,” Emoekpere mentioned, noting that rising demand from fintech, synthetic intelligence, and different data-intensive sectors will drive development.
Funding focus for 2026
Wanting forward, Emoekpere mentioned the trade plans to accentuate investments in information centres and last-mile broadband infrastructure, together with fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) and glued wi-fi entry (FWA).
- He added that seen enforcement of telecom belongings as essential nationwide infrastructure shall be a key success consider 2026.
- He referred to as for coordinated motion to guard fibre routes and telecom towers from vandalism and different infrastructure dangers, alongside the harmonisation of Proper-of-Manner expenses throughout states.
- The ATCON President additionally underscored the necessity to scale back a number of taxation, which he mentioned continues to weigh on operators.
What you must know
Nairametrics earlier reported that Nigeria’s broadband penetration crossed 50% in November for the primary time for the reason that nation began the implementation of the Nigeria Nationwide Broadband Plan (NNBP 2020-2025).
Regardless of that, the nation shall be lacking the Plan’s goal of 70% broadband penetration by the tip of 2025.
In keeping with the NCC information, there have been a complete of 109.6 million broadband connections in Nigeria as of November. This put the nation’s broadband penetration at 50.58%, a 0.69% improve from the 49.89% recorded in October.
The information exhibits the nation has grown broadband penetration by solely 6.15% to date this yr because the penetration degree stood at 44.43% on the finish of 2024.