Telecom subscriptions hit 179.6m as teledensity rises to 82.9% — NCC

By Juliet Umeh

The latest data from the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has shown that Nigeria’s telecommunications industry recorded fresh growth in December 2025, as total active subscriptions increased to 179.64 million from 177.43 million in November.

National teledensity rose to 82.87 per cent in December from 81.84 per cent recorded in the previous month.

A breakdown by operators shows that MTN Nigeria maintained market leadership with 93.06 million subscribers, representing 51.87 per cent market share. Airtel Nigeria followed with 60.89 million subscribers (33.94%), while Globacom recorded 22.23 million subscribers (12.39%). T2 accounted for 3.23 million subscribers (1.80%).

Total active internet subscriptions rose to 148.17 million in December from 144.79 million in November, driven largely by mobile GSM subscriptions, which stood at 147.52 million.

Broadband subscriptions increased to 112.67 million, pushing broadband penetration to 51.97 percent, up from 50.58 per cent in November.

Porting activities across mobile networks stood at 1,393 in December, with MTN accounting for 964, Globacom 217, and Airtel 206.

Meanwhile, total data consumption climbed to 1.39 million terabytes in December from 1.24 million terabytes recorded in November, reflecting growing demand for digital services nationwide.

Reacting to the figures, telecom analysts said the steady rise in subscriptions and data usage underscores Nigerians’ increasing reliance on mobile connectivity for business, education and social interaction.

According to industry analysts, “the growth in broadband penetration and data traffic highlights the urgency for sustained network investments, especially in 4G and 5G infrastructure, to maintain service quality and accommodate rising demand.”

The NCC attributed the performance to ongoing regulatory reforms and investment in network expansion, noting that the Commission remains committed to deepening broadband penetration and improving quality of service nationwide.

The commission added that it would continue to work with operators to drive inclusive access, enhance consumer experience and support Nigeria’s digital economy goals.

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