What are real-world scenarios of 713.2 terabytes of data consumed by Nigerians in 2023? 

Nigerians consumed an equivalent of 713,200.62 terabytes of data in 2023 recording a 37.58% rise over the previous year’s figure of 518,381.78 terabytes, according to the 2023 year-end report by the telecoms industry regulator.

According to the Nigerian Communications Commission, “there was an increase in the volume of data consumed as at the year end December 2023 when compared with the year-end December 2022.”

The telecoms regulator says that “total volume of data consumed by subscribers increased to 713,200.62TB as at December 2023 from 518,381.78TB as at December 2022. This represents an increase of 37.58% in data consumption within the period. The increased data consumption is indicative of the increasing appetite and use for data by consumers.”

Nigeria’s 713.2TB data consumption in 2023: 10 real-world scenarios that explains the staggering scale

Technology Times decided to examine 10 real-world scenarios demonstrating the staggering scale of data consumption in Nigeria’s telecoms market in 2023.

Here are 10 real-world scenarios to illustrate 713,200.62 terabytes of data usage by Nigerian telecoms subscribers in 2023:

• Streaming HD Video Content: 713,200.62 TB could allow 357 billion hours of HD video streaming (at 2 GB per hour). This equals every Nigerian (220 million people) watching 1.6 hours of HD video daily for a year.
• Social Media Activity: Assuming each social media post (image, video, or text) averages 14 MB, this data would support 50.9 trillion posts. This means every Nigerian could make 634 posts daily throughout the year.
• Virtual Meetings: With an average one-hour video conference call (e.g., on Zoom) consuming 1 GB, Nigerians could have 713.2 billion hours of meetings. That’s enough for every Nigerian to attend 8.9 hours of meetings daily.
• Email Transfers: Assuming each email (with attachments) is 5 MB, 713,200.62 TB could support 142.6 trillion emails. Every Nigerian could send approximately 1,776 emails daily for a year.
• Music Streaming: An average music track (at high quality) consumes 10 MB. This data would allow for 71.3 trillion songs to be streamed. Every Nigerian could stream 885 songs daily.
• App Downloads: With an average app size of 100 MB, 713,200.62 TB would support 7.1 trillion app downloads. Each Nigerian could download 32 new apps daily for a year.
• Online Gaming: A multiplayer online game consumes about 50 MB per hour. Nigerians could play 14.3 trillion hours of online games. That’s 179 hours per Nigerian per day for a year—more than enough for avid gamers.
• High-Resolution Image Sharing: If each high-resolution photo is 5 MB, 713,200.62 TB could accommodate 142.6 trillion images. This translates to 1,776 photos shared daily by every Nigerian.
• Document Downloads: An average document (PDF, Word, or presentation) is around 2 MB. Nigerians could download 356.6 trillion documents, enabling every citizen to download 4,443 documents daily.
• Online Course Participation: Assuming a one-hour online course video uses 1.5 GB, 713,200.62 TB could allow 475.5 billion hours of learning. This means every Nigerian could attend 5.9 hours of online classes daily for a year.

The sharp rise in data consumption reflects the country’s increasing reliance on internet services for everyday activities, from streaming and e-commerce to remote work and education.

“The increased data consumption is indicative of the increasing appetite and use for data by consumers,” the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) states in the 2023 year-end performance report. 

This growth aligns with broader trends in Nigeria’s telecoms sector, which saw active internet subscriptions reaching 163,838,439 subscriptions by December 2023, representing a 5.81% growth from the previous year.

What is driving the surge in data consumption?
Several factors contributed to the sharp rise in data usage. The NCC attributed it to “subscriber loyalty, promos, aggressive consumer acquisition drive, and competitive product offerings across all networks.” Additionally, the availability of 4G networks, the early rollout of 5G, and the increasing affordability of smartphones have made it easier for Nigerians to stay connected.

Broadband subscriptions also increased, climbing from 90.4 million in December 2022 to 94.8 million in December 2023. However, despite this growth, broadband penetration fell from 47.36% to 43.71%, due to a population adjustment used in calculating the metric. The population projection was updated from 190 million (2017) to 216.8 million (2022), which altered the denominator in the broadband calculation, according to NCC.

The NCC report highlighted an area of concern: the growing cost of data services. While data usage soared, the industry’s operating costs also surged by 50.92% in 2023 to over ₦3.1 trillion. This has raised questions about the sustainability of affordable data prices, particularly as inflation and exchange rate fluctuations continue to impact the telecoms sector.

However, according to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), competition between mobile service providers in Nigeria has kept data prices among the lowest in Africa. In fact, the cost of a basic data package in Nigeria (as a percentage of GNI per capita) is the lowest in West Africa and well below the average for the continent, the ITU says. At just 1.8% of GNI per capita, Nigeria’s data prices are comparable to those in South Africa, despite Nigeria’s lower GNI per capita. This makes Nigeria’s data prices more affordable than in many other African countries.

In addition to increased overall data consumption, Nigeria’s telecoms operators reported a significant number of data-only mobile broadband subscriptions. These subscriptions, which include dongles –a small device able to be connected to and used with a computer, especially to allow access to wireless broadband or use of protected software– USB modems, and tablets that provide internet access without voice services, totaled 1,573,225 as of December 2023.

Among the leading telecoms operators, Airtel recorded the highest number of data-only mobile broadband subscriptions with 1,377,269. It was followed by Glo (142,432), MTN (27,940), EMTS, trading as 9Mobile (24,985), and Smile Communications, which had 599 subscriptions.

What’s next for Nigerian telecoms sector?
Nigeria’s telecoms sector faces both opportunities and challenges. The government aims for 70% broadband penetration by 2025, as outlined in the National Broadband Plan. However, this goal will require substantial investments in infrastructure, especially in rural and underserved areas.

In 2023, capital expenditure (CAPEX) in the sector amounted to N990.55 billion, a 26% increase from the previous year. However, foreign direct investment (FDI) into the telecom sector fell, from $399.9 million in 2022 to $134.75 million in 2023. This drop in FDI could impact the industry’s ability to meet future infrastructure needs.
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