MTN, Airtel, Glo Battle for Customers As NCC confirms number of active mobile lines in Nigeria
- NCC data showed Nigeria's active mobile subscriptions climbed to 189.68 million in May 2026, up from 188.01 million in April
- MTN Nigeria held 96.98 million subscribers while Airtel followed with 65.45 million, with both operators controlling nearly 86% of the market
- Broadband reached 56.11% as Nigerians consumed a record 1.50 million terabytes of data in May 2026
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Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience in business journalism, with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.
Nigeria's active mobile subscriber base has crossed 189 million, according to fresh data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), intensifying the battle among the country's four main telecom operators for customers and market share.
NCC figures for May 2026 put total active lines at 189.68 million, a rise from 188.01 million in April and 185.72 million in March.
Source: Getty Images
The consistent month-on-month growth pushed the country's teledensity to 87.50 per cent in May, compared with 86.73 per cent in April and 85.67 per cent in March.
MTN and Airtel Dominate the Market
MTN Nigeria remains the clear market leader, holding 96.98 million active subscribers and a 51.19 per cent share of the total market.
Airtel Nigeria sits in second place with 65.45 million subscribers, representing a 34.55 per cent share.
Together, the two operators account for nearly 86 per cent of all active lines in the country.
Globacom is the third-largest provider with 23.47 million subscribers, while T2, formerly known as 9mobile, trails with 3.54 million active lines.
Broadband and Data Consumption Hit New Records
Broadband subscriptions rose to 121.64 million in May from 120.68 million in April and 117.71 million in March, lifting reach to 56.11 per cent., BusinessDay reports.
Data consumption also set a new record, with Nigerians using 1.50 million terabytes in May, up from 1.41 million terabytes in April.
The growth is being driven by video streaming, fintech platforms, cloud computing and artificial intelligence applications.
Fourth-generation (4G) technology continues to power most of the country's mobile network, accounting for 54.30 per cent of subscriptions.
5G adoption reached 4.49 per cent, while older technologies declined, with 2G at 36.12 per cent and 3G falling to 5.10 per cent.
Source: Getty Images
Operators are navigating ongoing challenges including high diesel costs, unreliable electricity supply, foreign exchange volatility and damage to telecom infrastructure.
Industry analysts say competition is shifting increasingly from voice services toward broadband expansion, network quality and overall customer experience, as data has become the primary revenue driver.
NCC Executive Vice Chairman Aminu Maida has said the regulator remains focused on building a resilient telecoms sector through broader broadband deployment, better service quality and investment-friendly policies.
NCC licenses 46 new telecom companies
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) announced it has granted 46 Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) licenses to bolster competition in the Nigerian telecommunications landscape and is currently revising the operational regulatory framework for the new players.
According to the Commission, this review aims to strengthen the MVNO framework, address operational challenges, and foster an environment conducive to market operators offering mobile services without the need to own spectrum or deploy nationwide infrastructure.
Source: Legit.ng
