Nigeria’s telecommunications giants have turned their consideration to knowledge as subscriber development plateaus in Nigeria’s maturing cellular market, spurring a shift in infrastructure funding.
BusinessDay findings present that telecom operators at the moment are investing closely in quicker networks, fibre cables and knowledge centres. The objective is to serve present prospects who spend extra time on-line, watching movies, utilizing social media, making digital funds, working remotely and attending on-line courses.
Figures from the Nigerian Communications Fee (NCC) present that energetic cellular subscriptions stood at 179.64 million in December 2025, up barely from 177.43 million in November. Teledensity rose to 82.87 p.c, that means most Nigerians have already got a minimum of one SIM card.
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In cities particularly, nearly everybody who desires a cellphone line already has one, many individuals even have two or extra SIMs. Due to this, telecom firms are discovering it more durable so as to add massive numbers of latest customers.
Nonetheless, whereas subscriber development is slowing, knowledge utilization is rising sharply. NCC knowledge present that web visitors reached 1.39 million terabytes in December, up from 1.24 million terabytes in November.
This development is pushed by on a regular basis on-line actions corresponding to video streaming, social media, cellular banking, on-line studying and new digital apps. Extra Nigerians is probably not becoming a member of networks, however these already related are utilizing rather more knowledge.
Broadband subscriptions additionally elevated to 112.67 million, pushing penetration near 52 p.c. Web speeds have improved, too.
Common cellular obtain pace nearly doubled in two years, from about 7 Mbps in early 2023 to 14.7 Mbps by late 2025, primarily as a result of extra customers at the moment are on 4G networks.
In keeping with Aminu Maida, govt vice chairman of the NCC, this rising urge for food for knowledge is reshaping telecom funding.
“This utilization increase is the primary purpose operators are investing extra in knowledge companies slightly than chasing new subscribers. In 2025 alone, over $1 billion was invested throughout the trade, resulting in the deployment of greater than 2,850 new community websites,” Maida stated.
He added that though community high quality has improved, there’s nonetheless work to be performed. “High quality of service right this moment shouldn’t be but the place we would like it to be, however we’re not the place we was,” he stated, noting that operators plan to take a position much more in 2026.
The market stays dominated by just a few massive gamers. MTN Nigeria leads with 93.06 million subscribers, accounting for 51.87 p.c of the market. Airtel follows with 60.89 million subscribers (33.94 p.c), whereas Globacom holds about 12.39 p.c. Collectively, MTN and Airtel management almost 86 p.c of the market, that means they seize many of the development in knowledge utilization.
Community know-how traits additionally inform the story. 4G now carries greater than half of all connections, whereas 2G nonetheless serves over a 3rd of customers, primarily as a result of cheaper telephones and fundamental companies stay necessary for a lot of Nigerians.
Knowledge from cellular quantity switching reveals that few persons are altering networks. Between September and December 2025, solely about 1,300 to 1,600 customers switched networks every month, suggesting that competitors is now extra about higher knowledge expertise than signing up new prospects.
MTN ramps up data-led investments
As knowledge demand grows, MTN Nigeria, the nation’s largest operator, says it’s increasing its knowledge companies aggressively.
Karl Toriola, MTN chief govt stated the corporate is investing in community upgrades, fibre enlargement and digital infrastructure to make sure Nigerians can entry quicker and extra dependable knowledge.
“Our focus is on bringing high-speed connectivity nearer to customers, enhancing expertise and supporting the digital financial system.
Knowledge is crucial for connectivity, inclusion and financial diversification past conventional sources. We’re increasing each cellular and glued networks to satisfy rising wants,” Toriola stated.
MTN’s enlargement consists of the launch of FibreX, a fibre-to-the-home service designed to alleviate congestion on cellular networks and ship high-speed broadband on to houses and companies. The corporate can also be constructing out its 5G community and investing in cloud-ready infrastructure to help digital companies and enterprise options.
In July 2025, MTN launched the Dabengwa Knowledge Centre in Lagos, a $150 million Tier III facility that helps cloud companies and content material supply networks.
In keeping with Toriola, the centre will assist cut back latency, enhance speeds and create an surroundings that encourages extra knowledge utilization and native digital innovation.
“By strengthening our infrastructure throughout fibre, cellular and knowledge centres, we aren’t simply responding to demand, we’re serving to to develop the info financial system,” Toriola stated.
Airtel’s massive push in 2026
Airtel Nigeria, the second-largest operator, says 2026 will likely be a serious yr of community and knowledge enlargement.
Dinesh Balsingh, Airtel CEO, stated the corporate had expanded its community footprint, growing websites from roughly 15,000 to 17,000, with plans to broaden additional in 2026.
“We intend to repeat that scale of enlargement once more in 2026. These investments are centered on enhancing protection, capability and resilience, not simply in massive cities however in deep rural communities and small cities,” Balsingh stated.
He famous that Airtel has deployed satellite tv for pc know-how in distant areas, together with components of northern Nigeria, the place conventional fibre infrastructure is impractical.
“These are very distant villages the place terrestrial fibre was virtually not possible, however satellite tv for pc connectivity is performing very effectively,” Balsingh stated.
Airtel has equally upgraded about 25 p.c of its present websites with higher-capacity gear and migrated backhaul hyperlinks from microwave to fibre.
At this time, 99.99 p.c of Airtel’s websites are 4G-enabled, even in distant areas, and the corporate has elevated 4G spectrum capability by about 20 p.c to satisfy rising knowledge demand.
On 5G, Balsingh stated Airtel has greater than doubled its 5G websites prior to now few months and plans emigrate about 25 p.c of its community in high cities to 5G over time.
Airtel can also be increasing its fibre spine by about 25 p.c and dealing on a second web breakout level from southern Nigeria to boost community resilience. The corporate is strengthening its knowledge centre and synthetic intelligence capabilities with amenities anticipated to help superior analytics, community automation and client safety companies.
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“These investments are about constructing scale, capability and resilience for the long-term way forward for Nigeria,” Balsingh stated, describing 2026 as one other large yr for infrastructure improvement.
A brand new part for Nigeria’s telecoms
Competitors within the trade is more and more centered on who can ship the quickest, most dependable and most inexpensive knowledge companies, slightly than who can join essentially the most SIM playing cards.
Cellular quantity portability knowledge present that between September and December 2025, month-to-month porting exercise averaged between 1,300 and 1,600 transactions, with bigger networks like MTN and Airtel attracting essentially the most incoming switches. The comparatively low switching means that subscribers are sticking with networks that meet their knowledge wants, slightly than chasing worth alone.
Coverage actions are additionally shaping the panorama. Bosun Tijani, the minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economic system of Nigeria, has directed the NCC to implement automated penalties for community failures inside 90 days, as a part of efforts to enhance high quality and accountability.
Regulators are additionally facilitating the gradual migration from older 2G and 3G companies to quicker 4G and 5G networks.
Total, Nigeria’s telecom sector is shifting from a subscriber-led development mannequin to a data-driven one. Whereas the tempo of latest SIM registrations has slowed, the surge in web utilization, powered by higher networks, expanded broadband and sustained funding, helps to energy the digital financial system.
To maintain this momentum, trade leaders say Nigeria should proceed addressing persistent challenges corresponding to rural protection gaps, infrastructure vandalism, energy reliability and a number of taxation, guaranteeing that rising knowledge demand interprets into constant service high quality and long-term development.
