Telecommunications operators in Nigeria lost nearly one million internet users in February 2025, just a month after a 50% tariff hike on voice, data, and SMS services took effect.
The increase, approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), triggered a significant decline in data usage as many subscribers reduced their internet consumption to adjust to the higher costs.
Fresh data released by the NCC shows that monthly data consumption dropped to 893.06 petabytes in February—about 12% below January’s all-time high of one exabyte, the highest monthly volume ever recorded in Nigeria.
Although data usage rebounded slightly in March to 995.88 petabytes—an 11.5% rise from February—it still fell just short of the January peak, indicating that many users remain cautious in their usage habits.
In response to the tariff increase, over 900,000 internet users opted out of data subscriptions in February, shrinking the internet user base from 142.16 million in January to 141.25 million. By March, the figure slightly recovered to 142.05 million.
Despite the data usage dip, the telecom industry recorded gains in other areas. Operators added 3.39 million new telephone users between January and March, pushing the total active lines from 169.32 million to 172.71 million.
This growth boosted Nigeria’s teledensity—an indicator of telephone penetration—from 78.10% in January to 79.67% in March.
By technology type, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) continue to dominate the internet market, with MTN Nigeria leading the pack at 75.62 million users. Airtel Nigeria follows with 48.8 million users, while Globacom and 9mobile serve 15.37 million and 1.75 million users on their networks, respectively.
In terms of overall market share by active telephone lines, MTN maintains a strong lead with 90.5 million subscribers, representing 52.48% of the market.
Airtel holds the second position with 58.3 million users (33.78%), followed by Globacom with 20.7 million (12%). 9mobile remains the smallest player, with just 2.9 million users and a 1.72% share.
The latest figures highlight both the resilience and challenges facing Nigeria’s telecom sector, as operators navigate economic pressures and shifting consumer behaviors.
