By Atoyebi Nike
Nigeria’s telecommunications sector recorded its highest-ever monthly data consumption in May 2025, reaching 1.04 million terabytes, according to new figures released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). This marks the peak since the Commission began publishing data usage statistics in January 2023.
The surge in data consumption comes amid a downturn in internet subscriptions across the country, largely attributed to recent price hikes by major telecom operators. In April 2025, data usage stood at 983,283 terabytes, while January saw a similar peak of 1 million terabytes.
Internet Subscriptions Slide
Despite the record data consumption, total internet subscriptions dipped to 141.5 million in May from 141.9 million in April, covering mobile, fixed, ISP, wired, and VoIP services.
Mobile network operators, who dominate the internet access market, were primarily responsible for the decline. MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile collectively saw subscriptions drop from 141.4 million in April to 141 million in May.
This drop follows the industry-wide 50% data price increase, which has sparked consumer backlash and a visible shift in usage patterns.
Mobile Subscriptions Also Dip
Active mobile subscriptions across all four major carriers also fell marginally in May. Total subscriptions dropped to 172.4 million, compared to 172.6 million in April.
- MTN, Nigeria’s largest network by subscriber base, lost 258,313 subscribers, bringing its total to 90.2 million.
- 9mobile experienced a more severe decline of 291,214 subscribers, reducing its total active base to 2.6 million. This comes shortly after the operator inked a network-sharing deal with MTN.
- Airtel, however, gained 342,597 new subscribers, boosting its total to 58.9 million.
- Globacom’s numbers remained unchanged at 20.6 million.
Market Share & Teledensity Shifts
MTN maintained its market dominance with 52.33% share of the mobile subscriber base, while Airtel followed with 34.17%. Globacom held 11.96%, and 9mobile trailed with 1.55%.
Reflecting the overall decline in mobile connectivity, Nigeria’s teledensity the number of active telephone lines per 100 inhabitants fell slightly to 79.65% in May from 79.78% in April. The NCC bases this metric on an estimated national population of 216 million.
Analysts’ View
Industry analysts say the rising data usage despite shrinking subscriptions suggests higher consumption per user, likely driven by increased video streaming, remote work, and social media usage. However, they warn that the price-induced decline in subscriptions could hurt long-term broadband inclusion goals unless mitigated by regulatory or policy interventions.
As operators adjust pricing and infrastructure strategies, stakeholders will be watching closely to see whether subscriber numbers rebound or if the high-cost environment leads to sustained contraction in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
