Telecoms Subscribers’ Growth Hits 189M as MTN Maintains Lead with 96.9M
Emma Okonji Telecoms subscribers’ number across networks reached 189,675,650 in the month of May 2026, up from 188,009,171 in April 2026, according to the recent statistics released by the Nigerian
In May 2026, the number of telecom subscribers across networks in Nigeria reached 189,675,650, a rise from 188,009,171 in April 2026. According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), MTN leads with 96,977,835 subscribers, representing 51.19 percent of the total market. Airtel holds second place with 65,450,286 subscribers, capturing 34.55 percent of the market, while Globacom follows with 23,468,730 subscribers, making up 12.39 percent.
T2 has the smallest subscriber base with 3,538,021, contributing 1.87 percent. MTN has maintained its lead position for several years, having launched services in Nigeria in 2001. The company's Chief Financial Officer, Modupe Kadri, revealed that MTN committed N1.6 trillion over the past 18 months to network expansion, coverage, capacity building, and enhancing customer experience.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reported that in November 2025, telecom subscriptions stood at 177,426,286, with a teledensity of 81.84 percent, which increased to 179,642,333 in December 2025, with a teledensity of 82.87 percent. From January to March 2026, subscriptions grew to 182,225,258, 184,603,928, and 185,718,018, respectively, with teledensities of 84.06 percent, 85.16 percent, and 85.67 percent.
In April 2026, subscriptions reached 188,009,171, with a teledensity of 86.73 percent, and May 2026 saw an even higher figure of 189,675,650, with a teledensity of 87.50 percent. Teledensity, according to the NCC, is the number of active telephone connections per one hundred inhabitants within an area, expressed as a percentage.
Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria and a spokesperson for telecom operators in Nigeria, attributed the continuous growth in subscriptions and teledensity since November 2025 to a stable telecom operating environment, supported by the regulatory excellence of the NCC and the government's fair policies on tariffs and investments.
The NCC is responsible for monitoring and reporting on the Nigerian telecommunications industry, as mandated by Section 89 Subsection 3(d) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 (NCA 2003). The commission regularly conducts analyses and identifies industry trends, including competition and dominance, to determine if regulatory intervention is necessary.
Telecom operators are legally obligated to provide the NCC with such data regularly for analysis and public disclosure on their website.
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