Nigeria records sharp drop in active telephone subscribers to 157.6 million
The number of active telephone subscribers in Nigeria declined to 157.6 million in October 2024, according to the latest data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). This marks a significant drop of 60.79 million subscribers compared to the 218.4 million recorded in January 2024.
Subscriber numbers peaked at 219.97 million in February 2024 before declining sharply. The NCC attributed the reduction to the National Identification Number (NIN)-Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) linkage exercise, which concluded on September 14, 2024. The exercise led to the delisting of subscribers whose SIM cards could not be linked to valid NINs.
The drop was further influenced by corrections of major discrepancies in subscriber figures by mobile operators.
Market Share Breakdown
MTN continues to dominate the telecommunications market in Nigeria, with 80.38 million active subscribers, representing 51.09% of the market share. Airtel follows with 54.45 million subscribers (34.61%), while Glo and 9mobile account for 12.15% and 2.15% of the market share, respectively, with 19.1 million and 3.39 million active users.
Decline in Teledensity
Nigeria’s teledensity, which measures the percentage of the population with active telephone lines, also dropped to 72.7% in October 2024 from 103.66% in December 2023. This decrease was similarly linked to the NIN-SIM linkage exercise.
The NCC calculates teledensity based on Nigeria’s estimated population of 216 million, as provided by the Nigerian Population Commission.
