Nigeria's internet subscriber base surged to 148.2 million by December 2025, achieving 68.3% penetration, even amid 50% tariff hikes and naira depreciation, according to Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) data.
MTN and Airtel dominated with 86% market share, Airtel adding 1 million subscribers in December alone, while Glo and 9mobile lagged as legacy players.
Data consumption exploded 35% to 13.25 million terabytes yearly, but Nigerians spent ₦20.87 billion daily—totalling ₦7.62 trillion ($5.58 billion)—as gigabyte prices doubled from ₦287 to ₦575.
User frustrations mounted from network failures, thousands of fibre cuts due to construction and vandalism between January and August 2025, and poor service quality despite billions in revenue. 4G LTE held 52.95% share as the workhorse, 2G clung to 37.37% in rural areas, and 5G remained a 3.77% urban luxury limited by device costs and base stations.
The NCC's 70% broadband target fell short at 51.97%, though the ICT sector boosted Q3 GDP by ₦7.47 trillion and restored telco profits post-2024 losses.
In 2026, attention shifts to quality matching rising costs, with users urged to stay powered amid persistent "spinning wheel" woes.
