The Nigerian telecom industry continued its robust performance in the third quarter of 2025, with active voice subscriptions rising to 173.54 million in September, up from 171.57 million in August, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Teledensity, which measures the number of active telephone lines per 100 inhabitants, also increased slightly to 80.05%, reflecting steady subscriber growth across major mobile network operators (MNOs).

The data showed that operators added 569,538 new internet users, while broadband penetration rose by 10 basis points to 49.34%, representing 106.97 million connections to at least 3G networks.

Market breakdown:

• MTN Nigeria: 90.33 million subscribers (52.12% market share)
• Airtel: 58.47 million subscribers (33.74%)
• Globacom: 21.39 million subscribers (12.34%)
• T2 (formerly 9mobile): 3.11 million subscribers (1.8%), up from 2.73 million in August

Combined, GSM connections account for over 99% of the market, underscoring the continued dominance of mobile connectivity in Nigeria.

Active internet users via GSM networks grew to 140.36 million, highlighting strong demand for digital platforms for work, education, and entertainment. Despite growth in users, data consumption moderated slightly from 1.152 million terabytes (TB) in August to 1.15 million TB in September.

In terms of technology adoption, 4G networks led with 51.6% of active users, followed by 2G at 38.4%, 3G at 6.6%, and 5G at 3.4%. 5G adoption is gradually increasing, supported by ongoing infrastructure rollout since MTN Nigeria’s commercial launch in 2022.

Operators have invested over N1 trillion in network expansion and upgrades since the start of 2025. The NCC further reported that the telecom sector remains a key driver of the economy, contributing 9.2% to GDP in Q2 2025, up from 8.5% in Q1, despite adjustments in GDP computation methodology earlier this year.

The government is set to invest N12 billion in digital economy research, signaling its commitment to fostering innovation and strengthening Nigeria’s position in the global digital landscape.