In 2023, Nigerians spent an estimated ₦5.3 trillion on telecommunications services, covering voice calls, data usage, SMS, and other related services. This figure highlights the growing reliance on telecom infrastructure across the country as digital connectivity continues to expand. The data was derived from industry reports analyzing customer usage and tariff rates throughout the year.
A significant portion of this spending came from voice calls. Nigerians reportedly made about 408.5 billion minutes of local calls. These calls generated approximately ₦3.28 trillion from outgoing calls and ₦3.23 trillion from incoming calls, culminating in a total of around ₦6.51 trillion in revenue from call traffic alone. This indicates that voice services remain a dominant component of telecom consumption in Nigeria.
Despite the higher revenue from calls, the ₦5.3 trillion figure cited for total telecom spending reflects actual consumer expenditure across all telecom services, not just calls. This suggests that some revenue projections, especially those related to calls, may involve overlapping metrics or operator-level estimates rather than direct consumer payments.
In terms of individual user behavior, MTN subscribers spent an average of ₦2,508 per month on voice calls, representing a 14.4% increase from 2022. Airtel users, on the other hand, spent slightly less, averaging ₦1,694 monthly. These numbers indicate rising costs or increased usage, pointing to deeper market penetration and greater dependency on mobile communication.
Overall, the data underscores the importance of the telecom sector in Nigeria’s economy and everyday life. With steadily increasing consumer expenditure and expanding infrastructure, the sector continues to be a crucial driver of both economic activity and social connectivity in the country.
Source: Leadership