The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has released its latest industry report, in line with Section 89 of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, which mandates regular monitoring and analysis of the nation’s telecommunications sector. The data, reflecting the status as of July 2025, offers detailed insights into subscription trends, technology adoption, data usage, and the sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s economy.
As of July 2025, Nigeria recorded 169.3 million active telephony subscriptions, down from 171.7 million in June. This decline also lowered teledensity to 78.11%, compared to 79.22% in the previous month. The NCC attributed this drop to ongoing enforcement of SIM-NIN linkage regulations, which led to the deactivation of unverified SIM cards, alongside subscriber data corrections by a mobile operator. Since September 2023, teledensity has been calculated against a projected national population of 216 million.
Market dynamics showed MTN retaining its leadership with 89.1 million subscribers, representing 52.7% market share. Airtel followed with 56.5 million (33.4%), while Globacom accounted for 20.7 million (12.3%). 9mobile continued to lag with 2.7 million subscribers, translating to 1.6% of the market.
On the technology front, 4G remains the most widely adopted, representing 50.85% of subscriptions, while 2G and 3G accounted for 38.6% and 7.38%, respectively. 5G penetration, though still modest, reached 3.17% as nationwide rollout progresses.
Internet connectivity remains strong, with 138.7 million active subscriptions in July, mostly driven by GSM operators. Data usage continued to rise, surpassing 1.13 million terabytes (TB) compared to 1.04 million TB in June. Broadband subscriptions hit 104 million, representing a penetration rate of 48.01%. Despite this growth, the figures highlight the need for more investment to bridge digital gaps, particularly in underserved areas.
Mobile number portability activity stayed relatively low, with just 902 incoming porting requests processed across networks. Airtel and MTN attracted the majority of new inflows, while Globacom and 9mobile trailed behind.
Telecom’s economic role remained significant, contributing 14.40% to Nigeria’s GDP in Q4 2024—up from 13.94% in Q3, but slightly below the peak of 16.36% in Q2. This reflects both the sector’s resilience and the broader macroeconomic fluctuations.
Overall, the NCC emphasized the sector’s central role in driving Nigeria’s digital transformation. With rising data consumption, ongoing 4G expansion, and gradual 5G adoption, the industry is expected to remain a key enabler of connectivity, innovation, and economic growth.
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