The Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has forecast that Nigeria’s telecommunications industry will move into an expansion phase in 2026, following a year of consolidation in 2025.
This outlook was shared by ATCON President, Tony Emoekpere, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Emoekpere said rising digital adoption, renewed investor confidence, and improved coordination between industry stakeholders are laying the groundwork for accelerated sector growth.
Telecoms Industry Heads Into 2026 on Stronger Footing
According to Emoekpere, Nigeria’s telecoms ecosystem is entering 2026 with more stable fundamentals, driven by closer collaboration among operators, regulators, and the Federal Government to advance digital inclusion.
Despite economic headwinds over the past year, he said the sector has shown resilience and maintained a disciplined approach to investment and operations.
2025 Focused on Stability Amid Economic Pressures
Describing 2025 as a year of consolidation, Emoekpere said telecom operators, tower firms, and internet service providers prioritised stability and efficiency over rapid expansion.
The industry faced multiple challenges, including:
- Escalating energy and diesel costs
- Foreign exchange volatility
- High costs of imported telecom equipment
- Ongoing Right-of-Way (RoW) bottlenecks
Rather than scaling back, operators concentrated on densifying networks in high-traffic areas and accelerated the shift toward solar and hybrid power solutions to reduce operating costs.
Broadband Adoption Exceeds 50% in 2025
Drawing on figures from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Emoekpere revealed that Nigeria’s broadband penetration exceeded 50% in 2025.
He linked the growth to rising data usage, as services such as:
- Digital payments
- Streaming platforms
- Cloud-based applications
- Other online services
became integral to daily life and business operations.
He also credited the NCC with strengthening market confidence through transparent reporting, enforcement of Quality of Service standards, and efficient spectrum administration.
2026 to Be Driven by Execution and Scale
Looking ahead, Emoekpere said the telecoms sector must prioritise speed, execution, and scalability in 2026, as demand from fintech, artificial intelligence, and other data-heavy industries accelerates.
Key investment areas identified include:
- Increased data centre development
- Expansion of last-mile broadband networks
- Fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) rollout
- Growth of fixed wireless access (FWA) services
