Nigeria’s mobile telecommunications sector recorded a positive shift in August 2025, as Airtel and MTN boosted active mobile subscriptions to 171.3 million, marking the first monthly subscriber gain in nearly a year. This growth comes after a prolonged period of steady decline for some operators.
Airtel, which has been working to rebuild its customer base, recently signed multiple network modernisation agreements with global tech vendors, including Huawei, as part of its comeback strategy.
Market Share Breakdown in August 2025
According to fresh data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC):
- MTN Nigeria retained its dominance with 52.31% market share, representing more than half of the nation’s mobile subscribers.
- Airtel followed in second place with 33.89% market share.
- Globacom held 12.21% of the market.
- 9mobile (T2) remained at the bottom with 1.59% share.
This performance reaffirms MTN’s market leadership, while Airtel continues to consolidate its position as the second-largest operator.
Teledensity on the Rise
Alongside the increase in active lines, Nigeria’s teledensity, which measures the number of active telephone connections per 100 inhabitants, rose to 79.14% in August, up from 78.11% in July.
The NCC clarified that since September 2023, teledensity figures have been calculated using a population estimate of 216 million people.
Outlook for Nigeria’s Telecom Sector
The August rebound signals renewed growth in Nigeria’s mobile industry. With operators like Airtel investing in infrastructure upgrades and MTN maintaining its dominance, the sector is expected to see continued competition and improved connectivity for millions of users.
