19 October 2023
Nigeria's mobile internet subscriptions declined to 158.48 million, despite a considerable increase in internet usage to 655,879.86Tb in August 2023.
According to Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) data, 507,621 mobile subscriptions were lost month on month in August, although internet usage increased by 6.61% to 655,879.86 from 615,207.39 in July 2023.
MTN Nigeria lost 0.063% of its mobile internet subscriptions in the month, bringing the total to 68.03 million. Globacom's subscriber base declined by 0.064% to 43.97 million, while Airtel's subscriber base fell by 0.071% to 42.96 million. 9mobile fell 11.63% to 3.51 million customers.
According to NCC data, broadband penetration declined to 45.57% in August. Despite a nationwide target to reach 50% by the end of the year, Nigeria's internet penetration has declined in 2023.
The Nigerian National Broadband Plan (2020-2025) set a target of 50% broadband penetration by 2023.
Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice-chairman of the NCC, noted that the implementation of resilient telecoms and broadband infrastructure is critical to improve the quality of service and the quality of experience for telecoms consumers. "It is critical to note that the 5G network will bring significant network improvements, such as higher connection speed, mobility, and capacity, as well as low-latency capabilities to Nigerian communications services," said Danbatta.
