Telecom subscriptions hit 182.2m as data usage surges – NCC

By Juliet Umeh

Lagos – Nigeria’s telecommunications sector recorded notable growth in subscriber numbers and internet usage, with total active subscriptions rising to 182.2 million as of January 2026.

Latest data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows an increase from 169.3 million recorded in January 2025, reflecting continued expansion in mobile connectivity across the country.

Teledensity also improved to 84.06 percent in January 2026, up from 78.10 percent in the corresponding period of 2025, indicating deeper penetration of telecom services nationwide.

Operator statistics revealed that MTN Nigeria retained its market leadership with 94.2 million subscribers, representing 51.78 percent of total subscriptions. Airtel Nigeria followed with 62.04 million subscribers (34.09 percent), while Globacom recorded 22.46 million subscribers (12.34 percent). 9mobile accounted for 3.26 million subscribers, representing 1.79 percent of the market.

Analysis of network usage showed a continued shift toward faster broadband technologies. 4G remained dominant with a 53.41 percent share, up from 47.23 percent in January 2025, while 5G adoption rose to 3.94 percent from 2.54 percent.

In contrast, older technologies continued to decline, with 2G dropping to 36.97 percent from 41.63 percent and 3G falling to 5.67 percent from 8.60 percent year-on-year.

Internet subscriptions also grew to 151.6 million in January 2026, compared to 141.7 million in January 2025. Data consumption recorded a significant jump, reaching 1,385,536.04 terabytes, up from 1,000,930.60 terabytes within the same period.

The surge in data usage underscores Nigerians’ increasing reliance on digital services, including video streaming, remote work, and social media, as well as ongoing investments in broadband infrastructure.

Industry analysts say the sustained growth in subscriptions and data consumption reflects Nigeria’s accelerating digital transformation, driven by network expansion and rising demand for high-speed connectivity.

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