Internet Subscribers Hit 158.5m across Networks as MTN Leads with 84.6m

Emma OKonji

The number of active subscribers for data (internet) services on each of the licensed service providers utilising the different technologies such as GSM, Fixed Wired/Wireless and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), reached 158,520,893 as at August 2026, numbers released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has reveaaled.

The data showed that the number of internet subscribers utilising the mobile GSM technology via mobile phones and devices for connectivity, reached 158,066,217 as at August 2026.

This is an indication that more internet subscribers access the internet via their mobile phones and other SIM-enabled devices, while those on the MTN network were leading with 84,557,845 internet subscribers as at August 2026.

The statistics on active internet subscribers, which is the latest in the telecoms industry, was released recently on the website of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms industry regulator.

From the statistics, the number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via Mobile (GSM) technology as at March 2026, was 153,151,418, while the number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via Fixed Wired/Wireless technology was 450,787, and the number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via VoIP technology, was 218,351, which brought the total number of internet subscribers to 153,820,556 as at March 2026.

The number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via Mobile (GSM) technology as at April 2026, was 154,347,260, while the number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via Fixed Wired/Wireless technology was 156,662, and the number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via VoIP technology, was 220,166, which brought the total number of internet subscribers to 154,724,088 as at April 2026.

The number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via Mobile (GSM) technology as at May 2026, was 157,021,888, while the number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via Fixed Wired/Wireless technology was 157,925, and the number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via VoIP technology, was 225,538, which brought the total number of internet subscribers to 157,405,351 as at May 2026.

The number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via Mobile (GSM) technology as at June 2026, was 156,447,414, while the number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via Fixed Wired/Wireless technology was 180,966, and the number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via VoIP technology, was 230,169, which brought the total number of internet subscribers to 156,858,549 as at June 2026.

The number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via Mobile (GSM) technology as at July 2026, was 157,271,801, while the number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via Fixed Wired/Wireless technology was 204,082, and the number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via VoIP technology, was 230,613, which brought the total number of internet subscribers to 157,706,496 as at July 2026.

The number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via Mobile (GSM) technology as at August 2026, was 158,066,217, while the number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via Fixed Wired/Wireless technology was 227,910, and the number of subscribers that were connected to the internet via VoIP technology, was 226,766, which brought the total number of internet subscribers to 158,520,893 as at August 2026.

The statistics however showed that MTN, which is the largest telecoms network in Nigeria by subscription, was leading the number of connected internet subscribers via the Mobile GSM technology, with 84,557,845 as at August 2026, followed by Airtel with 56,937,788, while Globacom recorded 15,760,574 subscribers on its network that were connected to the internet as at August 2026. T2, the fourth entrant into the GSM space, recorded 810,010 subscribers on its network that were connected to the internet as at August 2026, which brought the total number of active internet subscribers via the Mobile GSM technology, to 158,066,217 as at August 2026.