By FUNMILOLA GBOTEKU / ROSE OKUDAYE

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says the judiciary is critical to protecting Nigeria’s digital economy, telecommunications infrastructure and online ecosystem from escalating cyber and security threats.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Aminu Maida said this at the 2026 Workshop for Judges on Legal Issues in Telecommunications held in Lagos on Thursday.

He said Nigeria’s digital economy is scaling up quickly, with growth in digital payments, e-commerce, startups, and tech-driven literacy programmes helping to deepen economic inclusion and widen access to digital services.

Maida was represented by Ms Rimini Makama, Executive Commissioner Stakeholder Management, NCC.

He said Nigerians consumed more than 1.42 million terabytes of data in March 2026, compared with 995,000 terabytes recorded within the corresponding period of 2025.

This, he said, reflects the country’s growing dependence on digital connectivity and online platforms.

According to him, daily data use has risen to roughly 15 million hours of high-definition video streaming, compared to 10.7 million hours recorded a year earlier.

Maida said broadband penetration climbed to 54.3 per cent in 2026 from 47.7 per cent a year earlier, expanding access to faster and more reliable internet across Nigeria.

He disclosed that telecommunications operators invested more than one billion dollars in network expansion projects in 2025.

According to him, the operators added thousands of new telecommunications sites to improve nationwide coverage, service quality and digital access across underserved communities.

Maida cautioned that vandalism,