Nigeria’s internet consumption has crossed a major milestone, surpassing 1 million terabytes for the first time in January 2025. According to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), this marks the highest recorded usage since the NCC began tracking data consumption in January 2023. The surge highlights Nigeria’s growing dependence on digital connectivity and the increasing demand for internet services.
However, despite hitting this record, data usage in January 2025 dropped sharply compared to the previous month. Users consumed 27,475 terabytes in January, a significant decline from the 94,502 terabytes recorded in December 2024.
The drop in consumption could be linked to recent data tariff hikes by major telecom providers like MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria. Both companies increased their data prices by 50%, which may have discouraged users from consuming as much data as before. This trend could pose challenges for telecom operators, potentially affecting revenue growth.
Despite the dip in data usage, MTN and Airtel managed to grow their subscriber bases. MTN Nigeria added 1.4 million new internet users in January, pushing its total subscriber count to 73.7 million. Airtel Nigeria also saw growth, gaining 1.08 million subscribers to reach 48.4 million users.
Globacom, however, continues to face challenges. Following a regulatory audit in April 2024 that led to a significant drop in its subscriber base, the company only managed to add 313,939 new users in January 2025. Meanwhile, 9mobile struggled even more, failing to gain any new subscribers during the same period.
The milestone of surpassing 1 million terabytes underscores the rapid digital transformation in Nigeria, but the decline in monthly data usage highlights the delicate balance between pricing and consumer demand in the telecom sector.
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