Nigeria’s Internet Subscribers Drop to 141.9 Million, Data Consumption Declines

Nigeria’s internet landscape is witnessing a slowdown, as the latest data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reveals a drop in internet subscriptions and data usage.

According to the NCC’s industry report, internet subscribers fell to 141.98 million in April 2025, a slight decrease from 142.16 million in January. This represents a 0.12% decline, or 176,202 fewer users, within the first quarter of the year.

The breakdown shows that the GSM network segment accounted for 141.47 million of these users, while fixed wired and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) platforms made up the remainder.

MTN and Airtel Gain, Glo and 9mobile Lose Ground

A deeper look into the numbers indicates mixed performances among Nigeria’s leading telcos. MTN Nigeria added 2.24 million internet subscribers, growing from 73.7 million in January to 75.95 million in April. Airtel Nigeria also saw growth, adding 445,854 new subscribers to reach 48.93 million.

However, Globacom and 9mobile recorded a decline in internet subscriptions over the same period, contributing to the overall dip in national figures.

Broadband Penetration Sees Uptick

Despite the drop in overall internet users, Nigeria’s broadband penetration improved, rising from 45.61% in January to 48.15% in April. This indicates a steady expansion of high-speed internet access across the country.

Telephony Services on the Rise

The report also showed that telephony service subscriptions climbed to 172.94 million in April, up from 169.31 million in January — a gain of over 8 million users in just three months.

Data Consumption Falls Amid Tariff Hike

The NCC also noted a drop in total data consumption across the country. Between January and April, data usage fell by 17,647 terabytes, from 1,000,930.6 TB in January to 983,283.43 TB in April — marking a 1.76% decline.

This reduction follows the January 20 tariff adjustment, which allowed telecom providers to increase prices by up to 50%, likely prompting consumers to cut back on data usage.

4G Dominates, 5G Usage Still Nascent

In terms of network generation, 4G technology accounted for 49.2% of total internet usage, while 3G made up 8.25%. 5G, still in its early stages, contributed just 2.81% to national usage.