Telecom subscriptions hit 179.6m, teledensity now 82.9% –NCC

By Chinenye Anuforo

Telecommunications sector recorded fresh growth in December 2025, with total active subscriptions rising to 179.64 million, up from 177.43 million in November, according to the latest industry statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The data showed that national teledensity increased to 82.87 per cent in December, compared with 81.84 per cent in the preceding month, reflecting sustained expansion in mobile access across the country.

Operator-level figures indicated that MTN Nigeria retained its market leadership position with 93.06 million active subscribers, accounting for 51.87 per cent of the market. Airtel Nigeria followed with 60.89 million subscribers, representing 33.94 per cent, while Globacom recorded 22.23 million subscribers, or 12.39 per cent market share. T2 accounted for 3.23 million subscribers, representing 1.80 per cent.

Active internet subscriptions also recorded growth, increasing to 148.17 million in December from 144.79 million in November. Mobile GSM subscriptions remained the dominant driver of internet access, standing at 147.52 million.

Broadband subscriptions rose to 112.67 million, pushing broadband penetration to 51.97 per cent, compared with 50.58 per cent recorded in November.

Porting activities across mobile networks totalled 1,393 in December. Of this figure, MTN accounted for 964 port-ins, followed by Globacom with 217 and Airtel with 206.

Meanwhile, total data consumption increased to 1.39 million terabytes in December, up from 1.24 million terabytes in November, underscoring rising demand for digital services nationwide.

Analysts attributed the steady growth in subscriptions and data usage to Nigerians’ increasing dependence on mobile connectivity for business operations, education, and social engagement. They noted that the expansion in broadband penetration and rising data traffic underscore the need for sustained investment in network capacity, particularly in 4G and 5G infrastructure, to maintain service quality and meet growing demand.

The NCC said the sector’s performance was driven by ongoing regulatory reforms and continued investment in network expansion. The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to deepening broadband penetration, improving quality of service, and working with operators to promote inclusive access and support Nigeria’s digital economy objectives.