The Nigerian Communications Commission NCC, the country’s telecommunications regulator has projected a N207 billion remittance to the Federal Government’s Consolidated Revenue Fund for the 2026 fiscal year. The Commission has also proposed a ₦472 billion budget to the National Assembly for the fiscal year to enable it achieve its plans to deepen broadband penetration, expand digital infrastructure, and strengthen regulatory oversight across the country.

The proposal was presented on Thursday during a joint budget defence session before the Communications Committees of the National Assembly, where the Commission highlighted the steady performance of the telecommunications sector and its growing contribution to Nigeria’s economy.

Meanwhile, members of the National Assembly have commended the Commission, acknowledging the growth of the telecoms sector and its contribution to the national economy. They however urged the Commission to sustain its current efforts at improving service quality and strengthening consumer protection nationwide.

Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida, who presented the budget, said the NCC’s expenditure plan aligns with the Federal Government’s 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and reflects its commitment to sustaining growth in Nigeria’s digital economy.

Represented by the Commission’s Head of Finance, James Kalu, Dr. Maida disclosed that Nigeria’s telecommunications sector recorded a growth rate of 5.17 per cent in 2025, reinforcing its position as one of the most resilient contributors to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

He said: “Continued infrastructure investment and increasing demand for digital services drove the sector’s performance.

“Telecom operators deployed and upgraded about 2,800 telecom sites nationwide in 2025, which helped boost network capacity and expand broadband penetration by six percentage points to approximately 50 per cent across the country.”

The Commission also reported notable improvements in internet performance, stating that average data speeds increased by about 24 per cent—from roughly 16 megabits per second to around 20 megabits per second during the year under review.

The NCC is proposing ₦424 billion for recurrent expenditure and ₦15 billion for capital and special projects for the 2026 fiscal year, which are aimed at strengthening regulatory operations and supporting the continued expansion of telecommunications infrastructure nationwide.

It also projected that it would remit about ₦207 billion to the Federal Government’s Consolidated Revenue Fund while transferring ₦20 billion to the Universal Service Provision Fund to support telecommunications infrastructure development in rural and underserved communities.

Meanwhile, lawmakers present at the session acknowledged the growth of the sector and urged the the Commission to sustain efforts aimed at improving service quality and strengthening consumer protection across the country.

The Commission in reaction to this charge, reaffirmed its commitment to expanding telecommunications infrastructure, enhancing regulatory compliance, and implementing long-term strategies that will support the country’s broader digital transformation efforts.