Nigeria’s internet subscriptions fell slightly in June 2025, but data consumption climbed to a new high. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reported a drop from 141.5 million in May to 141.1 million active subscriptions in June—a 0.3% decline.
Mobile operators—MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile—still dominate the market. Together, they held 140.6 million subscriptions, leaving Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and others with just 528,633 users.
Despite fewer users, Nigerians consumed more data. In June, usage hit 1.044 million terabytes, slightly above May’s 1.043 million terabytes. That May figure had been the highest since January 2023.
Operators say the surge is driven by urban growth. “Cities like Lagos are growing at lightning speed—more people, more businesses, more devices,” said Dinesh Balsingh, CEO of T2 (formerly 9mobile).
Lagos alone added over one million new internet subscriptions between 2023 and 2025, thanks to fibre expansion and smart city projects. The state secured a $22 million investment to roll out 2,700km of fibre optic cables.
MTN Loses Ground, Airtel and Glo Gain
MTN lost one million subscribers in June, dropping to 89.2 million. Airtel gained 36,316 users, reaching 58.9 million. Globacom added 263,028, pushing its base to 20.8 million. 9mobile lost 236,238 users, ending the month with 2.4 million.
MTN still leads with 52.03% market share. Airtel follows with 34.38%, Globacom holds 12.18%, and 9mobile trails with 1.42%.
Teledensity also dipped to 79.22%, down from 79.65% in May. This metric reflects active lines per 100 people, based on Nigeria’s updated population estimate of 216 million.
While data usage grows, many Nigerians are struggling with rising costs. Entry-level smartphones now cost between ₦200,000 and ₦220,000, up from ₦120,000 earlier this year. The cost of 1GB of data also jumped from ₦287.50 to ₦431.25 after a 50% tariff hike in January.
This price surge has pushed many offline. Over one million internet users dropped off in the first half of 2025. Still, those who remain online are using more data than ever.
Rate, Like 👍, Comment💬, share this article, Follow us on our social media handles, and Submit your own story to get featured and earn rewards!
WhatsApp Channel
Telegram Channel
