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The latest figures from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) show that operators added 2.55 million active subscriptions during the month, increasing the total from 189.6 million in May to 192.2 million in June.
The growth further underscores the importance of mobile connectivity to communication, commerce, digital financial services and access to information across Nigeria.
Alongside the increase in mobile subscriptions, FTTH connections also expanded, reaching 319,735 nationwide from 241,750 recorded in the first quarter of 2026.
Although fibre connections remain relatively small compared with mobile subscriptions, the increase points to growing demand for high-speed and reliable broadband connectivity in Nigerian homes and businesses.
Fibre infrastructure provides higher speeds and more stable connections, supporting activities such as video streaming, remote work, online education, cloud services and other data-intensive digital applications.
Data consumption continues to rise
The continued expansion of digital connectivity is also reflected in Nigeria’s growing data consumption.
NCC data showed that Nigerians consumed 1.532 million terabytes of data in June, compared with 1.504 million terabytes in May.
Monthly consumption stood at 1.385 million terabytes in January, 1.260 million terabytes in February, 1.422 million terabytes in March and 1.414 million terabytes in April.
Overall, data consumption reached 8.51 million terabytes between January and June 2026, reflecting the increasing reliance on digital services among individuals and businesses.
The rise is being driven by a combination of factors, including video streaming platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Netflix, social media, digital financial services, remote working and the continued expansion of 4G and 5G networks.
In 2025, Nigerians consumed more than 13.2 million terabytes of data, representing a 35 per cent increase from the previous year.
The latest figures indicate that data demand is continuing to reshape the telecommunications market, with operators increasingly relying on data services as a major source of revenue.
Broadband penetration edges higher
The growth in data consumption has also coincided with an increase in broadband subscriptions.
NCC figures showed that broadband connections increased from 121.6 million in May to 123.1 million in June, pushing broadband penetration to 56.79 per cent.
Despite the improvement, the figure remains below Nigeria’s 70 per cent broadband penetration target, highlighting the need for continued investment in digital infrastructure and expansion into underserved communities.
The growth of FTTH could play an important role in closing this gap, particularly as demand for reliable high-speed connectivity increases among households, enterprises and digital businesses.
Telecom operators benefit from data demand
The increasing shift towards data-led consumption is also reflected in the financial performance of Nigeria’s major telecommunications operators.
MTN Nigeria reported average monthly data consumption of 14.8GB per subscriber during the period, representing a 15.2 per cent year-on-year increase. Network traffic also rose by 25.8 per cent, supported by smartphone penetration of 66.4 per cent.
Data revenue reached N1.70 trillion, accounting for more than half of MTN’s service revenue and significantly exceeding voice revenue, which stood at N993.5 billion.
Airtel Nigeria recorded a similar trend, with average monthly data usage per customer increasing to 14.9GB from 11.8GB a year earlier.
Its data customer base expanded to 32.5 million, while smartphone penetration reached 56.1 per cent. Data revenue increased by 38 per cent year-on-year to N691 billion.
Combined, MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria generated about N2.4 trillion in data revenue during the first half of 2026.
The figures highlight a structural shift in Nigeria’s telecom industry from traditional voice services towards data-driven growth, as consumers and businesses increasingly depend on digital connectivity.
MTN maintains market leadership
NCC’s June figures also showed that MTN Nigeria remained the country’s largest mobile network operator, with 98.6 million subscribers and a 51.38 per cent market share.
Airtel Nigeria ranked second with 66.1 million subscribers, representing 34.4 per cent of the market.
Globacom followed with 23.6 million subscribers and a 12.36 per cent market share, while T2, formerly known as 9mobile, recorded 3.53 million subscribers and a 1.84 per cent share.
The continued expansion of mobile subscriptions, broadband connections and fibre infrastructure points to a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem.
For Nigeria, the challenge now is to sustain this growth by expanding reliable connectivity beyond major urban centres, increasing broadband affordability and strengthening the infrastructure needed to support the country’s growing digital economy.
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