October 7, 2025/CSL Research

According to the latest data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), active mobile subscriptions rose by 12.06 million year-on-year (+7.56%) to 171.57 million in August 2025, up from 159.50 million in August 2024. On a month-on-month basis, total mobile subscriptions increased slightly by 2.24 million (+1.32%), from 169.33 million in July 2025 to 171.57 million in August 2025.This rebound aligns with our expectations, as telecom operators appear to have successfully navigated several recent industry disruptions.

A key challenge was the temporary suspension of National Identification Number (NIN) verifications by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) during its transition to the new High Availability NIMC Verification Service (HA-NVS). This suspension effectively halted new SIM activations across all networks, slowing subscriber onboarding. The impact was compounded by an NCC directive restricting third-party agents to registering only one SIM per customer. With these issues now largely resolved, the industry is experiencing a gradual recovery in subscriber growth—a trend we expect to persist in the short term.

Operator performance in August 2025 was broadly positive. MTN Nigeria, the largest telecom operator, added 499,540 new subscribers, bringing its total to 89.64 million (July: 89.14 million). Airtel recorded the strongest performance, gaining 1.55 million new subscribers to reach 58.07 million (July: 56.52 million). Globacom also achieved moderate growth, increasing its subscriber base by 173,244 to 20.91 million (July: 20.74 million). In contrast, 9mobile’s subscriber count was unchanged at 2.73 million month-on-month. 

Looking ahead, we expect subscriber growth to accelerate in the coming months, supported by the reactivation of previously deactivated lines and the continued resumption of new SIM activations. Structurally, the sector remains well-positioned for sustained long-term expansion, underpinned by Nigeria’s large, youthful, and increasingly digital population. With significant headroom for telecom penetration, growing smartphone adoption, the ongoing rollout of 4G and 5G networks, and deepening broadband usage, we maintain a positive outlook for the Nigerian telecommunications sector.

Click here to download full report: CSL Nigeria Daily – 07 October 2025 – Telecoms .pdf​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Media Highlights: