Nigeria's telecommunications sector continued to expand in February 2026, with 4G networks now powering more than half of all mobile connections. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reported that active mobile subscriptions rose to 184.6 million, up from 182.2 million in January. This growth is reflected in the country's teledensity, which climbed to 85.16 percent. Market leadership remained unchanged, with MTN Nigeria retaining the largest share with 95.31 million subscribers.
MTN Nigeria's dominance is followed by Airtel Nigeria with over 63 million users, while Globacom and T2 (formerly 9mobile) hold smaller portions of the market. Industry data shows a clear migration toward faster networks, with fourth-generation technology accounting for about 53.6 percent of all connections in February. This confirms that Nigeria has effectively entered a 4G-dominated phase as consumers shift away from older networks.
Mobile data consumption remains extremely high, with Nigerians using about 1.26 million terabytes of mobile data in February. This reflects the strong demand for streaming, social media, and digital services across the country. Officials say the trend reflects a broader digital transformation in Nigeria's economy.
The NCC's Aminu Maida is right to say stronger regulation and data-driven policies are essential as the sector becomes increasingly central to innovation and economic growth in the digital era. However, the steady rise in subscriptions and 4G migration suggests Nigeria's telecom market still has room to expand as more citizens connect to the digital economy. This growth will likely drive long-term opportunities for telecom companies, but uneven rural coverage and infrastructure costs remain significant challenges.
