Tariff Hike Forces 2.4 Million Nigerians Off Internet Despite Rising Data Usage

A sharp 50 percent tariff hike on telecom services has triggered a significant decline in Nigeria’s mobile and internet subscriptions, according to the latest data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Figures for July 2025 reveal that major operators collectively lost 2.4 million subscribers in just one month, cutting the country’s active user base from 171.7 million in June to 169.3 million. This downturn also pushed Nigeria’s teledensity lower, from 79.22 percent to 78.11 percent, extending a decline that has persisted since February.

The data highlights a parallel slump in internet access. Active users across GSM, Fixed Wired, ISP, and VoIP platforms fell from 141.1 million in June to 138.7 million in July. Broadband subscriptions also dipped, dropping from 105.7 million to 104 million during the same period. Airtel suffered the biggest subscriber losses among the operators.

Despite shrinking user numbers, overall data consumption is on the rise. NCC statistics show that national data usage surged from 1,044,073 terabytes in June to 1,131,255 terabytes in July, driven by higher reliance on digital services. MTN and Airtel reports confirm this trend, with average monthly usage reaching 14GB per user on MTN and 10.7GB for 4G subscribers on Airtel. Non-4G customers consume an average of 5.7GB monthly.

Analysts attribute the paradox of declining subscriptions but higher usage to the growing adoption of 4G and 5G networks. NCC figures show 4G penetration now at 50.85 percent, compared to just 38.6 percent for 2G. Faster networks encourage data-intensive activities such as streaming, gaming, and video conferencing, while internet access remains indispensable for remote work, online learning, and e-commerce despite rising costs.

Meanwhile, T2, formerly known as 9mobile, posted its first subscriber growth in five years, gaining 290,601 new customers in July. The operator now accounts for 1.61 percent of Nigeria’s telecom market, serving 2.72 million users. Analysts link this rebound to its recent infrastructure-sharing deal with MTN, which has boosted network coverage and service reliability.

Source: Guardian