Nigeria’s data consumption surged to a new high in May 2025, even as the number of internet subscribers declined across the country, reflecting a growing trend of heavier data usage per user amid rising service costs.
According to fresh statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), subscribers consumed a total of 1,043,431.98 terabytes of data in May, marking the highest single-month consumption figure since January 2023 when the commission began publishing its monthly internet usage data.
The May figure represents a significant increase from 983,283 terabytes recorded in April 2025, and also surpasses the previous record of 1,000,930.60 terabytes registered in January 2025.
This surge in data consumption comes amid a backdrop of declining internet subscriptions, following recent price adjustments across all telecom networks. In March, Nigeria’s major mobile operators implemented a 50 percent hike in data tariffs, a move that has triggered some behavioural shifts among users and contributed to a drop in overall internet connections.
The NCC report revealed that total internet subscriptions—including those across mobile networks, fixed wired services, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) platforms—fell to 141.57 million in May, from 141.98 million in April. The mobile segment, which continues to dominate internet service delivery in Nigeria, accounted for the bulk of this decline.
A breakdown of the figures shows that internet subscriptions across Nigeria’s four major mobile operators including MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile—dropped from 141.4 million in April to 141 million in May, further reinforcing the impact of cost adjustments and other regulatory enforcement actions on user behaviour.
Similarly, total active mobile subscriptions across these operators dipped slightly, declining from 172.9 million in April to 172.6 million in May.
The NCC attributed this drop in subscriptions to its ongoing enforcement of SIM-NIN linkage requirements, which mandate that all SIM cards be tied to verifiable National Identification Numbers (NINs). It also pointed to the correction of a major reporting discrepancy by one of the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) as part of the reasons behind the observed decline.
“The removal of Subscriber Identification Modules (SIMs) that are not linked to verifiable National Identification Numbers (NINs) and the rectification of a major discrepancy by a Mobile Network Operator explain the significant drop in Nigeria’s telecoms subscriber base,” the NCC stated in the report.
Notably, the subscriber drop in May was concentrated among two operators: MTN Nigeria and 9mobile. MTN, Nigeria’s largest operator by subscriber base, lost 200,000 active lines, bringing its total number of subscriptions down to 90.2 million, from 90.4 million in March.
9mobile, the country’s smallest operator and currently undergoing a strategic network-sharing arrangement with MTN, also saw a sharp fall in its subscription base. The operator lost 291,214 subscribers during the period, reducing its total database to 2.6 million, down from 2.9 million in April.
In contrast, Airtel Nigeria recorded a notable subscriber gain in May, adding 342,597 new subscriptions and expanding its customer base to 58.9 million, up from 58.5 million in April. On the other hand, Globacom’s subscriber base remained stable at 20.6 million, with no significant change during the month under review.
Despite the losses, MTN Nigeria retained its dominance in market share, accounting for 52.33 percent of the country’s mobile subscriptions. Airtel followed with 34.17 percent, while Globacom held 11.96 percent. 9mobile’s share dropped further to 1.55 percent, reflecting its ongoing struggle to maintain competitiveness in a rapidly consolidating market.
The fluctuation in subscriber numbers also affected the country’s overall teledensity, which measures the number of active telephone connections per 100 inhabitants. Nigeria’s teledensity slipped slightly to 79.65 percent in May, down from 79.78 percent in April, underscoring the impact of regulatory clean-ups and service price pressures on active telecom lines.
While the industry faces short-term disruptions, the spike in data usage suggests that Nigerians are increasingly consuming more digital services, possibly driven by streaming, remote work, digital banking, and social media engagement. This trend, analysts say, points to a maturing data market where fewer but more engaged users may redefine how telcos adapt pricing, expand infrastructure, and compete for retention.
