Nigeria’s ICT Sector sees robust 31.63% growth in Q1 2025

Nigeria’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector has experienced a significant 31.63 percent year-on-year growth in nominal terms in the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

This remarkable growth highlights the sector’s increasing importance in the country’s economic development.

The NBS report indicates that the ICT sector’s performance in Q1 2025 marks a substantial improvement compared to previous periods. The growth rate surged by 28.23 percentage points from the 3.40 percent recorded in Q1 2024 and was 13.67 percentage points higher than the rate recorded in the fourth quarter of 2024.

In real terms, the sector also saw a positive growth of 7.40 percent year-on-year in Q1 2025, a notable increase of 3.36 percentage points from the 4.04 percent growth recorded in Q1 2024.

However, on a quarter-on-quarter basis, the ICT sector contracted by -8.86 percent in real terms, reflecting the usual seasonal trends and short-term economic challenges.

Despite this quarterly dip, the sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s real GDP continued to grow, reaching 10.59 percent in Q1 2025, compared to 10.17 percent in the same quarter the previous year and 9.32 percent in the preceding quarter. This affirms the sector’s growing relevance in Nigeria’s economic structure.

The NBS further reports that the ICT sector’s nominal GDP contribution for Q1 2025 was 10.29 percent, up from 9.25 percent in Q1 2024 and 8.55 percent in the prior quarter.

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the sector’s growth was recorded at 8.35 percent.

Analysts attribute the ICT sector’s robust growth to the expansion of broadband infrastructure, including 4G and 5G networks, the rising demand for data, and the growing adoption of digital technologies by businesses and households.

As Nigeria continues its push towards a digital-first economy, the ICT sector remains a critical driver of innovation, job creation, and economic diversification, playing a key role in shaping the future of the nation’s economy.