The Internet speed in Nigeria peaked in September 2020 in line with the increasing subscriptions to the third generation of wireless technology, 3G, and fourth generation of wireless technology, 4G, in the past one year.
Nigeria ranked 118th in mobile Internet download speed as of September 2020, the latest data from Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index showed.
The index stated that the country’ average mobile Internet download speed peaked at 17.09 megabits per second up from 17.07mbps in August.
This is as Nigeria’s average Internet upload speed, which has been fluctuating in the past one year, also peaked at 7.52mbps in the month under review.
According to the monthly report, the average Internet speed performance of the country in September was the highest in one year while the lowest Internet download speed at 15.13mbps was recorded in April this year.
The index, which compared Internet speed data from around the world on a monthly basis, stated that the global average for mobile Internet download speed for the 138 countries examined in September was 35.96mbps while 11.22mbps was the global average upload speed attained.
Ookla’s Global Index indicated that the country’s Internet speed ranking hovered between 107th and 119th position in the past one year amid rising 3G and 4G subscriptions.
The latest industry data from Nigerian Communications Commission indicated that about 15.07 million new 3G and 4G subscriptions were added by telecoms operators in 11 months since September 2019.
As of August this year, the industry regulator reported that the country’s 3G and 4G subscriptions had reached 82.65 million.
Also, Ookla index showed that Nigeria’s ranking for fixed broadband download speed also dropped by two places from 149th position in August to 147th position globally in September this year.
In the fixed broadband category, Nigeria recorded 13.07mbps average download speed and 12.11mbps upload speed in September this year.
The global average for fixed broadband download speed for the 175 countries examined was 85.73mbps while it recorded 45.74mbps for the upload speed.
The Nigerian Communications Commission data indicated that the number of active subscribers to mobile Internet services in the country increased to 149.34 million in September 2020.
This is an indication that the country gained 26.55 million new Internet users between September 2019 and September 2020, recording a 22 per cent growth in subscribers under the Global System for Mobile communication category.