Emma Okonji
Nigeria is shut to hitting the 200 million lively telecom subscribers document, following an enchancment in its telecoms subscriber quantity that reached 197,416,694 with a teledensity of 91.07 per cent as at August 2026, statistics launched by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has revealed.
Teledensity, in telecoms parlance, is described because the variety of lively phone connections per 100 inhabitants dwelling inside an space and is expressed as a share determine.
According to the statistics, which THISDAY obtained from the web site of NCC, as at January 2026, telecoms subscriptions information was 182,225,258 with a teledensity of 84.06 per cent.
But there was an improved development within the variety of telecoms subscriptions in February 2026, which elevated to 184,603,928, with a teledensity of 85.16 per cent. There was a further development in March 2026 to attain 185,718,018, with a teledensity of 85.67 per cent.
In April 2026, Nigeria recorded one other development in telecoms subscriptions, which reached 188,009,171, with a teledensity of 86.73 per cent.
In May 2026, telecoms subscription quantity elevated once more to attain 189,675,650, with a teledensity of 87.50 per cent.
The development trajectory continued in June 2026, as telecoms subscriptions reached 192,232,120, with a teledensity of 88.67 per cent.
In July 2026, Nigeria’s telecoms subscription quantity elevated once more to 195,108,814, with a teledensity of 90 per cent, earlier than reaching 197,416,694 subscriptions with a teledensity of 91.07 per cent in August 2026.
According to NCC’s statistics, the expansion in telecoms subscriptions is spurred by MTN Nigeria, which recorded as excessive as 102,556,735 subscribers on its community, with a transparent main market share of 52.01 per cent as at August 2026, making it the largest telecoms operator in Nigeria by subscription and community infrastructure growth.
Airtel got here subsequent with 67,420,650 subscribers recorded in August 2026, with a market share of 34.19 per cent, making it the second largest telecoms operator in Nigeria by subscription.
Globacom adopted with 23,583,253 subscribers as of August 2026, with a market share of 11.96 per cent, making it the third largest telecoms operator in Nigeria by subscription. Globacom joined Nigeria’s telecoms market two years after MTN and Airtel have rolled out their providers throughout varied states of the nation. Globacom nevertheless commenced its industrial rollout service in 2003 with per second billing system, a growth that modified the sport within the telecoms sector from per minute to per second billing system, and it has remained operational until date.
Next to Globacom, is T2, the final entrant into Nigeria’s telecoms house, which rolled out its industrial providers, seven years after MTN and Airtel had rolled out their telecoms’ providers in 2001. T2, in accordance to NCC’s statistics, recorded 3,613,801 subscribers with a market share of 1.83 per cent as at August 2026.
Recently, the NCC licensed one other telecoms operator, often called Swift Telephone Network (STN) that may even provide voice and information providers. The newest telecoms operator is anticipated to roll out its providers earlier than the top of 2026, to additional enhance competitors within the telecoms sector.
Consistent with Section 89 Subsection 3(d) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 (NCA 2003), the NCC is remitted to monitor and report on the state of the Nigerian telecommunications trade, present statistical analyses and determine trade tendencies with regard to providers, tariffs, operators, expertise, subscribers, problems with competitors and dominance, amongst others. with a view to figuring out areas the place regulatory intervention could be wanted.
Telecom operators are subsequently obligated, beneath the phrases of their licenses, to present the NCC with such information regularly for analytical evaluation and publishing.
Pleased with the expansion charge in telecoms subscriptions throughout all networks, the spokesperson for all of the licensed telecom operators in Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, attributed the expansion in telecoms subscriptions to a transparent and unambiguous regulatory oversight of the NCC, which he mentioned, has empowered operators to roll out providers even in distant elements of the nation, to improve inclusivity in telecoms operations.
