•NCC puts MTN Nigeria subscriptions at 100.8m

Nigeria’s telecommunications sector is edging closer to a major milestone, with active mobile subscriptions rising to 195.11 million and leaving the country about five million lines short of the 200 million mark.

The latest industry data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in its July edition showed that the recovery in mobile subscriptions has continued, following a contraction triggered by enforcement of the subscriber identification requirements, particularly the linkage of National Identification Numbers (NINs) to SIM cards.

The rebound has also pushed national teledensity — the number of active telephone connections per 100 inhabitants — to approximately 90 per cent, underscoring the growing importance of mobile connectivity to economic and social activities.

The recovery followed efforts by telecommunications operators to streamline subscriber registration, reactivate compliant lines and expand network coverage in underserved areas, bringing millions of previously inactive lines back onto the networks.

Further analysis of the NCC data by The Guardian showed that operators added more than 12.8 million active subscriptions within the period under review, reflecting sustained demand for telecommunications services, particularly mobile Internet.

Data consumption also continued to surge, with Nigerians consuming 10.2 million terabytes of data during the period.

The development underscores the structural shift in the telecommunications market from voice-centric services towards data-driven consumption, as smartphones, digital payments, social media, streaming, remote work and mobile commerce become increasingly embedded in everyday life.

The growth has been led largely by the major operators, particularly MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria, whose investments in network expansion and high-speed broadband infrastructure have helped drive data adoption.

Financial statements from the major operators also indicate that data services have become an increasingly important revenue driver.

For instance, MTN Nigeria’s latest financial report showed that its active data users rose to 55.7 million, while average monthly data usage per subscriber increased by 15.1 per cent to 14.8 gigabytes (GB).

The higher consumption contributed to MTN Nigeria’s half-year data revenue of N1.7 trillion, representing more than 56 per cent of its total service revenue.

Similarly, Airtel Nigeria recorded strong growth in broadband usage, with average monthly data consumption per customer rising by 30.8 per cent to 11GB.

The aggregate consumption of 10.2 million terabytes translates to more than 48,000 terabytes daily, reflecting the increasing intensity with which Nigerians use mobile networks.

The surge has been driven by greater smartphone adoption, video streaming on platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Netflix, as well as the growing use of fintech, e-commerce and other digital services.

Higher smartphone penetration and the expansion of 4G and 5G networks have further accelerated the shift.

Based on the pace of consumption in the first seven months of the year, Nigeria’s total data consumption could rise to between 18 million and 20 million terabytes by the end of 2026.

This compares with 13.2 million terabytes consumed in the whole of 2025.

A former NITEL staff member and telecommunications expert, Kehinde Aluko, said the development reflected both the resilience of Nigerian consumers and the structural expansion of digital services.

“The trajectory we are witnessing reflects both the resilience of the Nigerian consumer and structural growth across digital services.

“Reaching nearly 90 per cent teledensity shows that mobile phones are no longer a luxury; they are the fundamental pipeline for commerce, banking, education and social interaction,” he said.

The surge in subscriptions has been anchored by the major operators, led by MTN Nigeria, which crossed the 100 million mark, reaching 100.8 million active subscribers and accounting for more than half of the market, according to the NCC data.

Airtel Nigeria remained the second-largest operator with more than 66.7 million active subscriptions, followed by Globacom with 23.6 million and T2, formerly 9mobile, with 3.2 million.

The operators have continued to invest in expanding 4G coverage and deploying 5G networks, particularly in urban centres, to capture the growing demand for high-speed connectivity.

While voice services remain important, data consumption has emerged as a major catalyst of subscriber behaviour and industry revenues. The continued migration from legacy 2G and 3G services towards 4G and 5G is expected to further increase demand for data.

However, industry stakeholders have cautioned that the focus should now shift beyond subscriber numbers to network quality, affordability, infrastructure protection and genuine digital inclusion.

“Maintaining network quality, protecting critical national telecommunication infrastructure from vandalism, and deepening rural broadband penetration remain crucial imperatives to ensure that 90 per cent teledensity translates into true digital inclusion for all Nigerians,” Aluko said.

The rapid growth in data usage has also placed additional pressure on network infrastructure, contributing to consumer complaints over rapid data depletion and intermittent service quality in some locations.