Economy
Nigeria’s Telecom subscriptions surge as Airtel, MTN drive sector growth
Nigeria’s Telecom subscriptions surge as Airtel, MTN drive sector growth
The telecoms regulator said that this robust recovery followed a period of decline, which saw subscriptions plummet to 154,904,827 in September 2024.
Nigeria’s telecommunications sector has witnessed a robust recovery, with active subscriptions surging to 169.3 million in January 2025, up from 164.9 million in December 2024.
The Nigerian Communications Commission said this in industry statistics on its website.
The telecoms regulator said that this robust recovery followed a period of decline, which saw subscriptions plummet to 154,904,827 in September 2024.
It said the decline in subscriptions was largely due to the mass deactivation of over 42 million SIM cards in February 2024 and the sector’s rebasing in September 2024.
The NCC, however, noted that the sector had gradually regained momentum, with subscriptions increasing to 164,926,599 in December 2024 before reaching the current high of 169,318,076 in January 2025.
The growth was driven by two network operators, MTN and Airtel, that recorded an increase in their subscriber base in the month under review, marking a significant increase from the 76.08 per cent recorded in December 2024, said NCC.
On market share, the industry statistics showed that MTN Nigeria solidified its position by increasing its market share to 51.7 per cent with 87.5 million subscribers in January 2025, up from 84.6 million in December 2024.
It said Airtel also demonstrated resilience, expanding its subscriber base to 57.6 million with a market share of 34.1 per cent, up from 56.6 million in the preceding month.
Earlier and current NCC statistics showed that Globacom, which faced a decline in subscribers earlier in 2024 due to a regulatory audit, was gradually showing signs of recovery.
It showed that Globacom grew its subscriber base from 20.1 million in December 2024 to 20.5 million in January 2025.
On the other hand, the statistics showed that 9mobile’s market share continued to decline, a far cry from 9mobile’s erstwhile dominance, when it boasted 23.4 million subscribers and a 15.7 per cent market share in 2015.
“The company’s stagnant subscriber base, which has remained unchanged at 3.2 million for three consecutive months, further accentuates this decline,” NCC said.
On porting activities, industry statistics showed that Nigeria’s fourth mobile network operator, 9mobile, has continued to experience a decline in its subscriber base, with 6716 customers porting out of its network in January.
According to the NCC’s report on incoming and outgoing porting activities of mobile network operators, a total of 8708 subscribers moved from one network to another in January.
The report showed that other operators recorded insignificant outgoing porting numbers compared to 9mobile.
According to the NCC, MTN lost 1188 customers, Airtel recorded 399 outgoing porting, Globacom recorded 405, and 9mobile lost 6,716 in January.
Airtel, MTN
In terms of incoming porting, MTN gained the most customers from other operators, with 5,551 subscribers joining its network, the regulatory body revealed.
The report showed that Airtel recorded 2414 incoming porting, while Globacom gained 736 customers.
Meanwhile, the NCC statistics noted that 9mobile recorded only seven incoming portings for the month of January.
Looking at the report, we can see that there were more incoming and outgoing porting activities in January 2025 than in December 2024.
It said that a total of 2998 activities were recorded in December 2024, while January 2025 had 8708 porting activities.
The report revealed an increase of 5710 in mobile number portability activities in January 2025 when compared to December 2024.
NNPC Ltd. HSE Chief Sets Tone For Industry-Wide Safety Standards
NNPC Ltd.’s Chief Health, Safety and Environment Officer, Tonye Alagba, has urged Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) personnel across the company to strengthen collaboration and build a unified HSE team.
Alagba, who made the call at the recent First Quarter 2026 HSE Council Meeting held in Abuja from 15th to 17th April, 2026, called for collective responsibility, strict compliance, and proactive prevention of HSE violations across all business units.
NNPC
NNPC Ltd. values strict HSE adherence across all its businesses and operations. The HSE Council Meeting signals the company’s broader intent to raise the bar for safety culture across Nigeria’s energy sector.
NNPC, SNEPCo, NCDMB Donate Geosciences Centre To UNILAG
NNPC Limited, in partnership with Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and the University of Lagos (UNILAG), commissioned and donated the newly built UNILAG Geosciences Centre of Excellence to the University on Friday.
Purposely built to strengthen geosciences education and research in Nigeria, the Centre was inaugurated by the Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services Ltd. (NUIMS), Olanrewaju Igandan, alongside the Managing Director of SNEPCo, Ronald Adams; Director of Capacity Building (NCDMB), Abayomi Bamidele; Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Tolani Sule; and the Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Professor Folasade Ogunsola.
The Centre boasts of a 250-seat auditorium, geoscience and instrumentation laboratories, a rock preparation workshop, hydrogeology, mineralogy, environmental geology, sedimentary and palaeoenvironmental sciences laboratories, a seismic interpretation room, a modern library, a digital museum, and collaborative spaces for students and researchers. It is also supported by a 600 kVA transformer, a 40 kVA solar power facility, and a field investigation coaster bus.
SNEPCo, NNPC
By connecting academia, industry, and government under one roof, the Centre provides Nigerian students and researchers with hands-on access to modern energy tools, reduces the oil and gas industry’s reliance on international markets for testing and training, and builds the in-country expertise Nigeria’s energy sector needs.
NNPC Limited remains committed to driving capacity building, supporting national development, and working with partners to secure a stronger energy future for Nigeria.
NNPC: Ministers Chart Course Gor West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP)
The Committee of Ministers for the West African Gas Pipeline Project met in Abuja on Friday, reaffirming its central role in West Africa’s regional energy agenda.
The meeting brought together ministers and high-level representatives from Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and Ghana, alongside officials from ECOWAS, the West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA) and West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo).
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, who opened the meeting, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the long-term sustainability and expansion of the pipeline, adding that since its inception, the WAGP has transported over 613 million MMBtu of natural gas, with Nigeria accounting for more than 68 per cent of total volumes supplied to Benin, Togo, and Ghana.
NNPC
On his part, NNPC Limited’s Executive Vice President, Gas, Power & New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, emphasised the company’s active stewardship of Nigeria’s gas export commitments and its broader role in shaping regional energy cooperation across West Africa.
With gas throughput reaching approximately 80 million MMBtu in 2025, a 22 per cent rise on prior years, and discussions advancing on expanding pipeline capacity utilisation by 45 per cent in 2026, NNPC Limited remains at the centre of efforts to grow a credible, commercially viable regional gas market.
-
Crime12 months agoKogi Assembly Considers Law To Regulate Rent, Establish Control Board: Tenancy Law
-
News1 year agoAtiku Reveals Why He Failed To Pick Wike As Running Mate In 2023
-
Akwa Ibom1 year agoThe Apostolic Church Gets New Territorial Chairman, Exco
-
Crime1 year agoFederal High Court Jails 2 For Vandalizing Transformer, Telecom Mast In Kogi
-
News1 year agoThe Apostolic Church Gets New National President, Executive
-
Akwa Ibom1 year agoUmo Eno Commences Payment Of 80,000 Naira Minimum Wage With Arrears
-
News1 year agoSenator Natasha Returns To Senate With Husband Amid Seat Dispute
-
Economy11 months agoKiyosaki: Is Tinubu’s Government Afraid Of Ibrahim Traore?