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Nigeria’s telecommunications sector increased its contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) to 9.72 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, up from 9.19 per cent in the previous quarter, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The latest figure represents a 0.53 percentage-point increase from the first quarter and continues the sector’s recovery from the 7.67 per cent contribution recorded in the third quarter of 2025.
Telecommunications accounted for 8.12 per cent of GDP in the fourth quarter of 2025 before rising to 9.19 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 and 9.72 per cent in the second quarter.
Telecoms sector contribution continues to recover
The latest performance follows significant fluctuations in the sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s economic output over the past two years.
The telecommunications sector accounted for 14.58 per cent of GDP in the first quarter of 2024, before its share declined to 8.93 per cent in the second quarter and 7.51 per cent in the third quarter.
Its contribution subsequently edged up to 7.80 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024.
The sector recorded further improvement in 2025, rising to 8.50 per cent in the first quarter and 9.20 per cent in the second quarter. However, its contribution fell to 7.67 per cent in the third quarter before recovering to 8.12 per cent in the final quarter of the year.
The renewed increase in 2026 points to the continued importance of telecommunications to Nigeria’s wider digital economy.
Broadband adoption supports digital activity
Mobile connectivity, broadband services and growing data consumption continue to support economic activity across financial services, commerce, media, enterprise technology and other digitally enabled sectors.
The increase in the telecommunications sector’s GDP contribution also coincides with continued growth in broadband adoption.
NCC data showed that broadband subscriptions reached 124.4 million in July 2026, while internet traffic exceeded 1.66 million terabytes during the month.
The growth in connectivity reflects the expanding dependence of businesses, consumers and public institutions on digital services, increasing the importance of reliable telecommunications infrastructure to economic activity.
Regulatory initiatives and infrastructure investment
Industry analysts have linked the improvement in the sector’s economic contribution to regulatory policies and initiatives implemented by the NCC.
At the same time, telecommunications operators continue to face pressure to expand network capacity and invest in infrastructure as demand for data and other digital services increases.
The continued expansion of connectivity requires investment across multiple areas, including network infrastructure, broadband deployment, spectrum, fibre connectivity and other supporting digital infrastructure.
For operators and policymakers, the sector’s rising contribution to GDP highlights the economic significance of maintaining investment and creating an environment that supports sustainable telecommunications growth.
The latest figures also reinforce the increasingly close relationship between telecommunications infrastructure and Nigeria’s broader economy. As businesses and consumers rely more heavily on digital payments, online commerce, cloud services, communications and other digital platforms, the performance and resilience of the telecommunications sector are becoming increasingly important to economic activity.
With its GDP contribution rising to 9.72 per cent in Q2 2026, telecommunications remains a significant component of Nigeria’s digital economy and a critical layer of the infrastructure supporting the country’s broader digital transformation.
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