Emma Okonji
Nigeria’s telecoms subscriptions across networks reached 192,232,120, with a teledensity of 88.67 per cent in June this year, after attaining 189,675,650 subscriptions, with a teledensity of 87.50 per cent in May, numbers released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has revealed.
The data, which THISDAY obtained from the website of NCC, showed that the growth trajectory remained steady in the last one year.
Out of the 192,232,120 subscriptions recorded across all networks in June, MTN alone recorded 98,643,681 subscribers on its network with a market share of 51.38 per cent, followed by Airtel, which recorded 66,121,645 subscribers on its network, with a market share of 34.44 per cent. Globacom is next, with 23,682,605 subscribers on its network and a market share of 12.34 per cent, followed by T2, which recorded 3,538,021 subscribers on its network with a market share of 1.84 per cent.
From the statistics, telecoms subscriptions figure across networks in July 2025 was 169,328,686, with a teledensity of 78.11 per cent, but the subscription figure grew to 171,566,422 with a teledensity of 79.14 per cent in August 2025.
In September 2025, telecoms subscriptions increased again to 173,541,983, with a teledensity of 80.05 per cent, and a further increase to 175,322,398 subscriptions, with a teledensity of 80.87 per cent in October 2025.
In November 2025, the figure increased again to 177,426,286 subscriptions, with a teledensity of 81.84 per cent, and a further increase to 179,642,333 subscriptions, with a teledensity of 82.87 in December 2025.
As at January 2026, telecoms subscriptions number across networks was 182,225,258, with a teledensity of 84.06 per cent. In February 2026, the subscriptions increased to 184,603,928 with a teledensity of 85.16 per cent, with a further increase in subscriptions to 185,718,018 and a subsequent increase in teledensity to 85.67 in March 2026.
In April 2026, telecoms subscriptions also increased to 188,009,171, with an increased teledensity of 86.73 per cent.
In May 2026, subscriptions figure increased again to 189,675,650, with an increased teledensity of 87.50 per cent, before attaining 192,232,120 subscriptions with a teledensity of 88.67 per cent in June 2026.
Giving reasons for the steady growth in telecoms subscriptions in the last one year, the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, who doubles as the spokesperson for telecoms operators in Nigeria, said the steady growth was propelled by the stable regulatory policies from the NCC, and the 50 per cent tariff hike approved for telecoms operators in January 2025, by the federal government.
According to him, the 50 per cent tariff hike has enabled telecoms operators to cover operating costs, with additional revenue that has been reinvested into the telecoms sector for network expansion.
“In the last one year, telecoms operators have invested in network expansion with a view to boosting telecoms infrastructure and improving telecoms services across networks. The steady rise in telecoms subscriptions in the last one year, is a reflection of the network expansion project embarked upon by network operators, which enabled operators to register additional subscribers on their networks,” Adebayo told THISDAY in a telephone interview.