Nigeria’s Active Telephone Subscriptions Rise to 179.64 Million in December 2025
Nigeria’s telecommunications sector recorded further growth as active telephone subscriptions climbed to 179.64 million by the end of December 2025, reflecting sustained expansion in mobile usage and increasing demand for data services across the country. The figures were released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in its latest industry statistics.
According to the data, active mobile subscriptions grew steadily within the month, rising from 177.43 million in November to 179.64 million in December, an increase of more than two million new connections. This growth pushed Nigeria’s national teledensity to 82.87 per cent, underscoring the continued importance of telecommunications to social and economic activity.
Teledensity, a key indicator used globally in assessing the strength of a country’s telecom sector, measures the number of active telephone connections—both mobile and fixed—per 100 inhabitants. It provides insight into the level of telecom penetration, the spread of infrastructure, and overall digital inclusion, while also helping policymakers identify gaps between urban and rural access to communication services.
Industry analysts attribute the rise in subscriptions largely to the growing reliance on mobile phones for voice, data, digital payments, entertainment, education and business operations. The expanding use of smartphones, improved network coverage in some regions, and competitive data offerings by operators have also contributed to the upward trend, despite economic pressures faced by consumers.
Market share figures released by the NCC show that MTN Nigeria maintained its dominant position in the sector. The operator closed December 2025 with 93 million subscribers, representing 51.87 per cent of the total market. This solidifies MTN’s status as the country’s largest telecom operator, well ahead of its competitors.
The NCC data also highlights the broader resilience of Nigeria’s telecom industry, which remains one of the strongest contributors to the nation’s digital economy. However, experts note that while overall subscription numbers continue to rise, challenges such as network quality, affordability, power supply, and uneven rural coverage still need to be addressed to sustain long-term growth.
With data consumption expected to increase further in 2026, driven by video streaming, social media, fintech services and enterprise solutions, stakeholders believe continued investment in infrastructure and supportive regulatory policies will be crucial to improving service delivery and closing the digital divide across the country.
