Nigeria’s telecommunications market continued its upward trajectory in June 2026, with active mobile subscriptions climbing to 192.23 million, from 189.68 million recorded in May.

The latest figures released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) show that operators added about 2.56 million active lines within one month, further demonstrating the country’s expanding reliance on mobile connectivity for communication, commerce, financial transactions and digital services.

Consequently, Nigeria’s teledensity rose to 88.67 percent during the month, reflecting sustained demand for telecommunications services despite persistent infrastructure and economic pressures.

MTN Nigeria retained its position as the market leader, closing June with 98.64 million active subscribers and controlling 51.38 percent of the market.

Airtel Nigeria followed with 66.12 million subscribers, translating to a 34.44 percent market share. Globacom ranked third with 23.68 million active lines, representing 12.34 percent, while T2 recorded 3.54 million subscribers, accounting for 1.84 percent.

Beyond subscriber numbers, broadband adoption also strengthened during the period. Broadband subscriptions increased from 121.64 million in May to 123.11 million in June, lifting broadband penetration from 56.11 percent to 56.79 percent.

The improvement indicates that more Nigerians are gaining access to higher speed internet services as businesses, financial platforms, entertainment, education and other daily activities increasingly depend on digital connectivity.

However, the broader internet subscriber base recorded a marginal decline. Total internet subscriptions slipped from 157.41 million in May to 156.86 million in June, a decrease of about 550,000 subscriptions.

Interestingly, internet usage itself moved higher despite the decline in subscriptions.

According to the NCC, data consumption jumped from 1,504,067.36 terabytes in May to 1,532,172.67 terabytes in June, representing an increase of more than 28,105 terabytes in a single month.

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The surge suggests that existing users are consuming significantly more digital content and services, thereby increasing pressure on telecommunications operators to strengthen network capacity, expand coverage and accelerate infrastructure investments.

Technology adoption also continued to favour 4G networks. The NCC data showed that 4G accounted for 54.31 percent of total connections, maintaining its position as Nigeria’s dominant mobile technology.

Meanwhile, 2G represented 36.22 percent, while 3G accounted for 4.86 percent and 5G stood at 4.61 percent. The continued rise in data consumption is already influencing investment strategies across Africa’s telecommunications industry.

Speaking recently on the company’s expansion plans, Airtel Africa Group Chief Executive Officer, Sunil Taldar, said the operator was stepping up investments in network coverage and capacity to keep pace with rapidly increasing demand.

Taldar explained that Airtel Africa’s data and volume growth had exceeded 50 percent, making further investment necessary to accommodate rising traffic.

He also pointed to the wider growth opportunity across the continent, noting that telecommunications and smartphone penetration remain relatively low in several African markets.

According to him, Africa still has significant room for expansion, with telecommunications penetration and smartphone adoption each standing at roughly 50 percent.

With subscriber numbers rising, broadband access expanding and individual data consumption accelerating, Nigeria’s telecommunications market is increasingly shifting from simply connecting more people to supporting heavier and more sophisticated digital usage.

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