Nigeria’s telecoms sector is entering a new phase of digital intensity, with data consumption crossing four million terabytes in the first quarter of 2026, even as teledensity climbed to 85.67%, according to the telecoms regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The surge in consumption comes as Nigeria’s telecoms penetration approaches saturation, with teledensity rising to 85.67% and total active subscriptions reaching 185.5 million during the same period. The figures point to a market that is no longer defined primarily by how many people are connected, but by how much data they consume.
NCC’s industry statistics show that Nigerians consumed a total of 4,068,360.85 terabytes of data between January and March 2026, reflecting the growing centrality of internet usage in everyday life, from streaming and social media to financial services and enterprise connectivity.
| Month | January 2026 | February 2026 | March 2026 |
| Terabytes | 1,385,536.04 | 1,260,060.27 | 1,422,764.54 |
A monthly breakdown of the figures shows that data usage stood at 1,385,536.04 terabytes in January, declined to 1,260,060.27 terabytes in February, and rose again to 1,422,764.54 terabytes in March, highlighting both the scale and fluctuations in demand across networks.
The surge in data consumption comes as Nigeria’s telecoms penetration approaches saturation, with teledensity rising to 85.67% and total active subscriptions reaching 185.5 million during the same period. The figures point to a market that is no longer defined primarily by how many people are connected, but by how much data they consume.
According to the regulator’s data, MTN Nigeria maintained its lead with 95.7 million subscribers, representing 51.62% share, after adding about 2.6 million new users in the first quarter.
Airtel Nigeria remained the second-largest operator with 63.6 million subscribers and a 34.3% share, recording the highest net additions of 2.7 million new connections during the period.
In contrast, Globacom continued its gradual recovery, ending the quarter with 22.6 million subscribers after adding just over 414,000 new lines, while T2 Mobile recorded 3.4 million subscribers, reflecting its limited footprint despite recent restructuring efforts
.
The widening gap between the top two operators and smaller players underscores how scale is becoming increasingly important in a data-driven market. With millions of terabytes flowing across networks, operators with deeper infrastructure and wider coverage are better positioned to capture value.
To meet rising demand, telecoms companies are ramping up investments in network expansion and capacity upgrades. MTN Nigeria disclosed that it invested about ₦1 trillion in 2025 to expand fibre infrastructure, deploy additional base stations, and strengthen network capacity nationwide.
Similarly, Airtel Nigeria has expanded its network footprint significantly, while Globacom has undertaken a nationwide upgrade to improve data speeds and reduce congestion. T2 Mobile is also rebuilding its network through a partnership with Huawei as part of its turnaround strategy.
Despite the strong growth in both subscriptions and data usage, operators are contending with rising operational costs. MTN Nigeria reported a 41.8% increase in service revenue to ₦1.5 trillion in Q1 2026, with profit after tax rising by 165.9% to ₦355.5 billion, but warned that high diesel prices could weigh on margins for the full year.
As Nigeria moves closer to universal telecoms access, the industry’s next phase will likely be defined not by how many people are connected, but by the quality, speed, and affordability of the data services powering an increasingly digital economy.
Home
