Nigeria’s active mobile telecommunications subscriptions rose to 195,108,814 in July 2026, representing a teledensity of about 90 per cent, according to the latest industry statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The figure represents an increase of 2,876,694 subscriptions from the 192,232,120 recorded across the country’s mobile networks in June 2026.
The latest data also showed that MTN Nigeria has become the first telecommunications operator in the country to surpass the 100 million active subscriber mark since the introduction of GSM services in Nigeria in 2001.
MTN recorded 100,859,587 subscribers in July, representing a market share of 51.76 per cent.
The milestone further widened MTN’s lead in Nigeria’s highly competitive telecommunications market.
Airtel ranked second with 66,760,297 subscribers, accounting for 34.26 per cent of the market.
Globacom followed with 23,628,966 subscribers, representing 12.13 per cent, while T2 recorded 3,613,811 subscribers, giving it a 1.85 per cent market share.
Subscriber Growth
The NCC figures showed that all four major operators recorded changes in their subscriber numbers between June and July, contributing to the overall growth in active mobile subscriptions.
In June 2026, the total number of active subscriptions stood at 192,232,120.
MTN accounted for 98,643,681 of the June subscriptions, with a market share of 51.38 per cent.
Airtel had 66,121,645 subscribers, representing 34.44 per cent, while Globacom recorded 23,682,605 subscribers, with a market share of 12.34 per cent.
T2 had 3,538,021 subscribers, representing 1.84 per cent of the market.
By July, MTN’s subscriber base had increased by more than 2.2 million, pushing the operator beyond the 100 million mark.
Airtel also recorded an increase of more than 638,000 subscribers, while T2 gained more than 75,000 during the period.
Globacom, however, recorded a decline of about 53,600 subscribers between June and July.
ALTON Attributes Growth to Regulatory Stability
Commenting on the continued growth in telecommunications subscriptions, the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, attributed the development to stable regulatory policies implemented by the NCC.
Adebayo, who also serves as spokesperson for Nigeria’s telecom operators, said regulatory stability had helped create an environment conducive to sustained growth in the telecommunications sector.
The latest subscriber figures underscore the continued importance of mobile telecommunications to Nigeria’s economy, with mobile services playing a major role in communication, digital payments, internet access and other aspects of daily economic activity.
