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Nigeria’s fixed broadband performance has recorded a significant improvement, with median download speed rising 155% to 34.47 Mbps in the first half of 2026, as the country’s fibre infrastructure continues to expand.
The improvement was highlighted in a new report by Ookla, which found Nigeria to be the most consistently improving broadband market among the four leading West African countries it assessed — Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire.
Download Speed More Than Doubles
According to the Uneven Path to High-Speed Connectivity in West Africa report, Nigeria’s median fixed broadband download speed, excluding satellite connections, increased from 13.50 Mbps in 2023 to 34.47 Mbps in the first half of 2026.
The increase represents a 2.55-fold improvement, equivalent to a 155% rise.
Ookla said the gains were not concentrated in a single period. Instead, median download speeds increased consistently across each quarter over the past two years, reflecting continued fibre deployment and growing adoption.
Fibre Adoption Emerges as Key Driver
The improvement in broadband performance coincided with a major expansion in fibre connections.
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) subscribers tripled between the end of 2024 and June 2026, suggesting that more Nigerian households and businesses are moving towards higher-capacity fixed connections.
The improvement was also visible across different levels of connection performance.
Nigeria’s lower-end P10 download speed increased from 2.24 Mbps to 6.04 Mbps, while the P90 speed — representing the upper end of measured connections — rose from 74.37 Mbps to 90.04 Mbps.
This indicates that the gains were not restricted to users already enjoying the fastest connections.
Upload Speeds and Latency Also Improve
Nigeria’s broadband gains extended beyond downloads.
Median upload speed increased from approximately 11 Mbps in 2023 to 25.17 Mbps in the first half of 2026, representing an increase of nearly two-and-a-half times.
Network responsiveness also improved, with median latency declining from 47.9 milliseconds to 35.8 milliseconds during the same period.
The combination of faster uploads, higher download speeds and lower latency could improve the experience of users relying on broadband for activities such as cloud services, remote work, streaming and other data-intensive digital services.
Broadband Target Still Missed
Despite the progress, Nigeria’s broadband expansion remains below the target set under the National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020–2025.
The plan had targeted 70% broadband penetration by the end of 2025, but data from the Nigerian Communications Commission showed penetration at 51.97% at the close of the plan period.
The gap has prompted calls for a new and more practical broadband strategy as the country moves beyond the expired five-year plan.
In April 2026, telecommunications operators called for a new policy framework, arguing that the next phase should place greater emphasis on implementation, infrastructure coordination and policy alignment across government.
Industry Calls for a More Executable Plan
Tony Emoekpere, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said Nigeria’s next broadband strategy needs to focus more heavily on execution.
He argued that the country requires “not just another plan” but one that is more practical and better coordinated to support the next stage of digital infrastructure development.
The call comes as the government prepares additional infrastructure projects intended to expand connectivity across the country.
90,000km Fibre Network in Pipeline
The Federal Government is preparing to roll out a major digital infrastructure programme that includes a 90,000-kilometre fibre-optic network and 3,700 telecommunications towers targeted at improving connectivity, particularly in underserved areas.
The government also plans to introduce an alphanumeric postcode system on October 1.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said the government had completed the resource mobilisation and contracting processes needed to commence implementation of the projects.
A Stronger Foundation for Nigeria’s Digital Economy
Nigeria’s latest broadband figures point to meaningful progress in network quality, particularly as fibre deployment accelerates.
However, the country’s challenge is no longer simply improving speeds for existing users. Expanding affordable and reliable broadband access to more households, businesses and underserved communities remains critical.
With fibre connections growing rapidly and major infrastructure projects in the pipeline, the next phase of Nigeria’s broadband strategy will be judged by whether these improvements can translate into wider coverage, better affordability and sustained network quality across the country.
