Urban residents in Nigeria enjoy faster internet than rural users, a new report by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has revealed, even as nationwide connectivity shows modest improvements.

The report, which analysed 377,135 network tests using geospatial mapping, found that urban download speeds average 20.5 megabits per second, Mbps, compared to 11 Mbps in rural areas, a gap of about 40 percent. Upload speeds were also uneven, with urban users recording 10.5 Mbps against 6.1 Mbps in rural locations.

Although rural speeds have improved from 8.5 Mbps earlier this year, the NCC said higher latency in rural areas continues to affect real-time services such as voice and video calls.

NCC said: “Urban areas account for just 5.2 percent of Nigeria’s landmass but 96.7 percent of total network activity.

“Rural communities, which cover over 93 percent of the country, experience much sparser usage and slower speeds.”

The report also highlighted that the choice of network operator can sometimes matter more than location.

It stated: “MTN’s average rural download speed of 15.8 Mbps was found to outperform Glo’s average urban speed of 9.5 Mbps, showing uneven performance across operators.

“Major highways, especially the Lagos–Abuja corridor, were identified as ‘digital corridors’ where network coverage is stronger.

“Rural towns along these routes often enjoy better connectivity than remote interior villages, reflecting how road and network infrastructure grow together.”

On technology trends, the report noted that “4G LTE remains Nigeria’s broadband backbone, delivering speeds of 10–20 Mbps in rural areas, while 5G networks, where available, offer speeds of up to 220 Mbps but are still largely confined to dense urban centres.

“Among operators, MTN delivered the most consistent nationwide performance, followed by Airtel. T2 recorded the highest median rural speed at 24.9 Mbps in select regions, while Glo maintained baseline connectivity of 9.5 Mbps across both urban and rural areas.”

The NCC said closing the persistent urban-rural gap will require targeted rural infrastructure upgrades, improved upload capacity, and stronger quality-of-service standards to support digital education, e-government and remote work.

“Improving network quality outside cities is akey to ensuring all Nigerians benefit from digital services,” the regulator added.

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, said his administration has concluded plans to stimulate economic growth and reduce unemployment by creating a business-friendly environment that attracts both local and foreign investments.

Fubara gave the assurance at a one-day seminar on Ease of Doing Business, organised by the Rivers State Entrepreneurs and Investors Forum (REIF) in Port Harcourt, recently.

The governor, represented at the event by his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, said sustainable economic transformation can only be achieved through deliberate collaboration among government, the private sector, investors and civil society.

He said the role of government remains that of a facilitator — providing peace, security, transparent regulations, infrastructure and policies that encourage innovation and enterprise.

Fubara described the theme of the seminar, “Ease of Doing Business: The Role of Government,” as timely, noting that economic growth and sustainable development thrive where policies are stable, institutions are responsive and governments consciously support private enterprise.

He stressed that a vibrant private sector is the engine of job creation, wealth generation and social stability, adding that forums such as REIF are critical in shaping practical solutions and strengthening dialogue between government and investors.

“The outcomes of today’s deliberations will contribute meaningfully to our collective objective of repositioning Rivers State as a preferred destination for business and investment,” he said.

Delivering the keynote address, Managing Director of the Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Abubakar Bello, identified overdependence on oil, infrastructure gaps and inadequate power supply as major constraints to ease of doing business in Nigeria.

He commended the Rivers State Government and REIF for convening the seminar.

In his remarks, President of the Rivers Entrepreneurs and Investors Forum, Ibifiri Bobmanuel, said the strength of any economy lies in its private sector.

He explained that the seminar was designed to reset mindsets and highlight the vast economic opportunities in Rivers State.

Bobmanuel urged political leaders and stakeholders to embrace unity and collaboration, warning that divisiveness could undermine the state’s economic prospects.

By: King Onunwor

The Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas company (NLNG) said the Nigeria Prizes competition has officially kicked off, calling for entries for the 2026 cycle.

The company, in a statement, said this year’s edition focuses on Artificial Intelligence and Information and Communication Technology for The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation; poetry for The Nigeria Prize for Literature; and documentary filmmaking for the newly introduced The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts.

NLNG’s Manager of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs, Anne-Marie Palmer-Ikuku, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

The company said the Prizes remain Nigeria’s foremost platform for rewarding excellence in science and innovation, literature, and the creative arts.

It noted that this year, the Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation retained the theme “Innovations in Information and Communication Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Technologies for Development,” following a “no winner” verdict in the 2025 cycle.

Speaking on the commencement of the prizes cycle, NLNG’s General Manager of External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, emphasised the relevance of the selected themes in a rapidly evolving global context.

For Science, she noted that extensive research has demonstrated the immense potential of ICT, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies in reshaping industries and societies.

“The themes for the 2026 cycle reflect the realities of a world being reshaped by digital intelligence and creative expression.

“Through The Nigeria Prizes, NLNG continues to reinforce its commitment to innovative ideas and talents that are rigorous, relevant, and capable of shaping long-term national outcomes.

“The introduction of the Creative Arts Prize further strengthens this commitment by recognising creativity as a critical component of development,” she stated.

Also speaking on the call for entries, the Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Science and Innovation Prize, Prof. Barth Nnaji, called on scientists and innovators from all over the world to submit quality entries that transcend theoretical concepts and demonstrate deployable, scalable, and practical solutions.

The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation is founded on the principle that science must move beyond abstraction into solutions that work.

“The Prize recognises innovations grounded in rigorous research, demonstrating technical maturity and clear potential for application within Nigeria’s development landscape.

“We are looking for works that are inventive, credible, scalable, and capable of delivering measurable outcomes,” he said.

With the prize valued at $100,000, NLNG said the Science and Innovation competition is open to scientists and innovators worldwide and invites pioneering digital and artificial intelligence–based solutions that can enhance systems, improve efficiency, and support informed decision-making in critical sectors of Nigeria’s economy.

Similarly, for the Nigeria Prize for Literature, poets will be in the spotlight for the 2026 cycle. Nigerian authors resident in Nigeria and in the diaspora are invited to submit poetry collections published from 2023 onwards.

“The prize, also worth $100,000, recognises literature’s enduring capacity to interrogate society, preserve memory, and articulate both personal and collective experience,” it stated.

The Chairman of the Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Literature and The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, expressed excitement at the establishment of the new Prize for Creative Arts and described it as a significant addition to NLNG’s over two-decade legacy of celebrating excellence.

“It reaffirms our belief that excellence transcends form, whether written, spoken, or filmed. The Creative Arts Prize challenges creators to confront truth, explore memory, and translate lived experience into meaningful work.

“At the same time, the focus on Poetry for The Nigeria Prize for Literature recognises the genre’s enduring role as a tool for reflection, resistance, and social inquiry, with a unique capacity to distil memory and interrogate complex realities,” she said.

The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts debuts with Documentary Film under the theme ‘Identity’, with the prize valued at $20,000.

Targeted at emerging Nigerian filmmakers aged 18 to 35, the Prize challenges young creatives to produce documentary films that explore individual, communal, and cultural identities, and to reshape global perceptions of Nigeria through rigorous storytelling, creativity, and visual excellence.