Nigeria’s telecom subscribers spent an estimated N9 trillion, about $5.67 billion at current exchange rates, on airtime and data services in 2025, as rising internet consumption and tariff increases boosted revenues for the country’s largest operators.
The spending surge helped telecom companies, led by MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria, post strong revenue growth despite persistent consumer complaints over poor network quality and service disruptions.
MTN Nigeria, the country’s largest telecom operator, generated about N5.3 trillion, roughly $3.34 billion, in revenue from its 90.3 million subscribers for the financial year ended December 31, 2025. The performance helped the company return to profitability, with profit after tax reaching N1.11 trillion, equivalent to around $699 million.
Airtel Nigeria reported revenue of about N3.1 trillion, or approximately $1.95 billion, from its 60.9 million subscribers during its financial year ended March 31, 2026. Industry estimates suggest that Globacom and T2/9mobile generated nearly N2 trillion, about $1.26 billion combined, from airtime and data services during the same period.
The sharp rise in revenue was largely driven by higher Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), a key telecom metric that measures monthly subscriber spending on voice, data, and digital services.
