The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reaffirmed its claim that the country achieved 31% broadband penetration by December 2018, despite skepticism from some industry stakeholders. The commission emphasized that its data is based on reliable empirical evidence, primarily driven by growth in mobile broadband subscriptions.

Responding to concerns that the penetration rate was only 22% in early December 2018, the NCC explained that broadband penetration is measured by the percentage of the population with access to broadband services. According to the commission, the 31% figure was calculated by dividing the total active broadband subscriptions (58.96 million) by the estimated population of 190.88 million, yielding a penetration rate of 30.9%.

Nigeria’s five-year National Broadband Plan (NBP), set in 2013, aimed to achieve at least 30% broadband penetration by the end of 2018, up from 5% in 2013. By November 2018, the country had reached 22%, sparking concerns that it might fall short of the target. However, the NCC’s December announcement indicated the target had been surpassed, reaching over 31%.

While some industry observers questioned the rapid increase in penetration within just a few weeks, the NCC maintains that the growth is valid, citing the increasing number of mobile broadband subscribers, particularly those using 3G and 4G networks from major operators as well as LTE-only providers such as Smile and nTel.