September 26, 2025/CSL Research
Based on recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector recorded a year-on-year growth of 6.61% in Q2 2025, marking a significant improvement compared to the 4.38% growth recorded in Q2 2024. However, on a quarter-on-quarter basis, the sector experienced a slight decline in growth, easing to 6.61% in Q2 2025 from 7.40% in Q1 2025.
The ICT sector, as defined by NBS, includes telecommunications, information services, publishing, motion pictures, sound recording, music production, and broadcasting. The sector’s year-on-year expansion was largely driven by a strong rebound in telecommunications, which posted a real growth rate of 7.39% in Q2 2025, up from 4.92% in Q2 2024. Broadcasting also contributed positively, growing by 2.78% compared with 1.63% in the same period last year. The telecommunications industry, in particular, has been on a recovery path in 2025, bouncing back from the broad challenges experienced in 2024.
However, despite this solid annual performance, the ICT sector recorded a quarter-on-quarter slowdown, mainly due to a temporary dip in telecommunications activity during Q2 2025. The decline was caused by the temporary suspension of National Identification Number (NIN) verifications by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), as it transitioned to the new High Availability NIMC Verification Service (HA-NVS). This suspension effectively stalled new SIM activations across all networks, disrupting subscriber growth. In addition, a directive from the NCC restricting third-party agents to registering only one SIM per customer further slowed the pace of new additions. While these regulatory disruptions weighed on Q2 performance, signs of recovery are emerging, and the industry is expected to rebound in the coming months.
Although quarter-on-quarter figures were weaker, the slowdown is expected to be temporary, largely reflecting short-term regulatory and operational challenges. With the resumption of NIN verification services and operators’ adjustment to updated SIM registration protocols, mobile subscriber growth is set to rebound. This recovery will be driven by the reactivation of previously deactivated lines and the restart of new SIM activations, which should revitalize growth in the telecommunications industry and generate positive spillovers across the broader ICT sector in the coming quarters. Structurally, the telecommunications sector—and by extension the wider ICT industry—remains well positioned for sustained long-term growth. Nigeria’s large, youthful, and increasingly digital population provides strong demand fundamentals, while deeper telecom penetration, rising smartphone adoption, expanding 4G and 5G coverage, and broader broadband access offer significant room for expansion. Against this backdrop, the medium- to long-term outlook for Nigeria’s telecommunications and ICT sectors remains highly positive.
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