Nigeria’s telecom market reclaims 200m lines two years after 70m SIM disconnections

Log in or create a free account to get started.

Before the enforcement, Nigeria had 224.7 million active telephone lines in December 2023. However, the figure fell to 154.9 million by September 2024, representing a loss of nearly 70 million connections as operators barred lines that failed to meet the identification requirements.

The return to 200 million lines therefore represents more than a numerical recovery. It shows the industry’s ability to rebuild its customer base after one of the most significant regulatory disruptions to Nigeria’s telecommunications market.

However, the distribution of the new connections reveals that the recovery is not being shared equally among operators.

Together, MTN and Airtel controlled approximately 86.2 percent of Nigeria’s active telephone lines in September, reinforcing the dominance of the country’s two largest mobile network operators.

The industry’s recovery is also reflected in the rising telecommunications penetration rate. Teledensity increased from 91.07 percent in August to 92.41 percent in September, indicating expanding access to mobile connections across the country.

Seasonal SIM activations, increased smartphone purchases and higher demand for mobile connectivity during the Christmas and New Year holidays are expected to support further expansion.

Beyond voice subscriptions, Nigeria’s internet market is also recording growth, although the economics of connectivity are increasingly shifting towards data consumption.

Globacom added approximately 151,000 internet users to reach 15.9 million, while T2mobile remained unchanged at 810,010.

Data consumption, however, moderated slightly to 1.731 million terabytes in September from 1.756 million terabytes in August. Despite the decline, September recorded the second-highest monthly consumption level, indicating the growing importance of mobile internet to Nigerians’ everyday activities.

The expansion of video streaming, social media, digital payments, online entertainment and other bandwidth-intensive services is changing how Nigerians use telecommunications networks.

Platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Netflix and Instagram are increasing demand for faster connections and higher data allowances. High-definition and 4K video streaming, in particular, can consume significantly more bandwidth than conventional browsing and messaging.

This shift is increasing the commercial importance of 4G and 5G infrastructure as operators seek to convert growing internet demand into higher data revenues.

Nigeria’s network transition is also gathering momentum. The NCC’s September figures show that 5G market share increased to 5.05 percent from 4.92 percent in August, crossing the five percent threshold for the first time since the commission began tracking the technology in May 2023.

In contrast, 3G market share declined to 4.16 percent from 4.27 percent, extending its downward trajectory from 5.32 percent in April 2026.

The crossover, which first occurred in August when 5G reached 4.92 percent against 3G’s 4.27 percent, signals a gradual transition towards newer mobile technologies.

However, the pace of 5G adoption remains relatively slow compared with the scale of investment being committed by operators.

From 3.77 percent in December 2025 to 5.05 percent in September 2026, 5G gained just 1.28 percentage points over nine months, averaging approximately 0.14 percentage points monthly. At that pace, the technology could take another seven months to reach 6 percent market share.

Operators are nevertheless expanding infrastructure to accelerate adoption. Airtel Nigeria’s chief executive officer, Dinesh Balsingh, said during the company’s Open Network launch that Airtel had deployed more than 1,000 5G telecom towers in 2026 as part of its investment drive to improve network quality and expand coverage.

MTN has also continued investing in its network infrastructure to accommodate increasing data traffic and improve connectivity.

The availability of more affordable mid-range 5G smartphones, alongside the expansion of network sites in major urban centres such as Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, is expected to support wider adoption.

The emergence of fixed wireless access services, including 5G outdoor devices and broadband routers, is also creating additional demand for high-speed mobile networks as households and businesses seek alternatives to conventional fixed broadband connections.

For Nigeria’s telecom industry, crossing 200 million active lines is a significant recovery milestone, but the next phase of growth will depend less on the number of SIM cards activated and more on the quality, affordability and economic value of connectivity.

Royal Ibeh is a senior journalist with years of experience reporting on Nigeria’s technology and health sectors. She currently covers the Technology and Health beats for BusinessDay newspaper, where she writes in-depth stories on digital innovation, telecom infrastructure, healthcare systems, and public health policies.