MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria reported combined data revenues exceeding N3.6 trillion in 2025, reflecting surging demand for internet services across the country.
The figures, drawn from the operators’ latest financial reports, underscore the growing dominance of data over voice as the main source of revenue for Nigeria’s mobile network operators.
MTN Nigeria posted N2.8 trillion from data for the year ended December 31, 2025, marking a 74.5 percent increase from N1.6 trillion in 2024. The operator also recorded a 34 percent growth in data traffic, with average usage per subscriber rising by 20 percent to 13.1GB.
“The structural demand for data in Nigeria was demonstrated by the 34 percent increase in data traffic on our network that underpinned our strong service revenue growth in the period,” MTN CEO Karl Toriola said in the company report.
Airtel Nigeria generated N838.6 billion ($560 million) from data in the nine months ended December 31, 2025, a 67.4 percent rise from N500.8 billion in the same period of 2024.
Data usage per customer increased by 26.2 percent to 10.7 GB per month, while smartphone penetration rose to 54.1 percent. Smartphone users consumed 13.4 GB monthly on average, up from 11.2 GB previously.
Despite a 50 percent tariff increase in February 2025 — which raised the average cost of 1GB of data from N287.50 to N431.25 — Nigerians continued to consume more data.
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According to Nigerian Communications Commission data, monthly consumption hit 1.04 million terabytes in May 2025, reaching a new high of 1.38 million terabytes in December.
Lagos-based digital marketing specialist Idowu Ayodele said the surge in data consumption is driven by Nigerians’ pursuit of online income opportunities.
“The rate at which Nigerians post video content across social media platforms is increasing daily, largely because users want to monetize their content. Many are willing to invest in data to achieve that goal,” he said.
Telecom expert Adewale Adeoye added that short-form video platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, alongside online gaming, livestreams, and remote work tools such as Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, have significantly contributed to rising data consumption across income levels.
The surge in data usage is prompting operators to invest heavily in network capacity. MTN invested N1 trillion in 2025, more than doubling the prior year’s capital expenditure, and plans further investments to meet growing demand.
Airtel CEO Dinesh Balsingh said the company is expanding its fibre infrastructure across cities and states, with upgrades designed to improve network performance, customer experience, and reach, including underserved areas.
“Over the last two years, our disciplined investments have strengthened the network nationwide, and these will accelerate in 2026 as data consumption continues to rise,” he added.
The 50 percent price increase approved by the NCC in January 2025 marked the first major adjustment in telecom pricing in over a decade.
SMS costs rose from N4.00 to N6.00, while data and call charges increased correspondingly, reflecting the operators’ efforts to sustain profitability amid inflation, forex shortages, and rising energy costs.
Industry analysts suggest that sustained growth in Nigeria’s digital economy will continue to drive data revenue, making it the central pillar of telecom operators’ profitability for the foreseeable future.