Nigeria’s active internet subscribers rose to 157.7 million in July 2026, while data consumption across telecommunications networks climbed to 1.66 million terabytes, highlighting the continued expansion of the country’s digital economy.
Latest statistics from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed that the number of active internet subscribers reached 157,706,496 in July, compared with 156,858,549 in June.
According to a report in Thisday Newspaper,the latest increase came after a slight decline in June and represents a continued expansion of internet access across mobile and other communications technologies.
At the same time, total internet data consumption across networks jumped to 1,662,021.45 terabytes (TB) in July from 1,532,172.67TB in June, representing an increase of about 8.5 per cent in one month.
The figures, obtained from NCC statistics, indicate that both internet subscriptions and data consumption have expanded significantly over the past year, although the monthly trend has not been uniformly upward.
Internet Subscriber Growth
NCC data showed that active internet subscribers stood at 140,328,196 in August 2025. The number increased to 140,949,570 in September and 142,631,825 in October.
Subscriber numbers continued to rise in November, reaching 144,787,281, before climbing to 148,166,926 in December.
The upward trend continued into 2026, with active internet subscribers reaching 151,555,145 in January and 153,134,987 in February.
The figure rose further to 153,820,556 in March and 154,724,088 in April.
In May, active internet subscriptions reached 157,405,351 before declining slightly to 156,858,549 in June. The market recovered in July, with subscriptions rising to 157,706,496.
Overall, the number of active internet subscribers increased by approximately 12.4 per cent between August 2025 and July 2026.
Data Consumption Accelerates
Internet data consumption recorded an even stronger expansion over the period.
According to NCC statistics, Nigerians consumed 1,152,347.24TB of internet data in August 2025. Consumption declined marginally to 1,147,133.24TB in September but rose to 1,235,459.47TB in October.
The volume increased further to 1,236,544.10TB in November and 1,386,238.23TB in December.
Data consumption slipped marginally in January 2026 to 1,385,536.04TB before falling to 1,260,060.27TB in February.
Consumption rebounded sharply in March to 1,422,764.54TB but declined slightly to 1,414,848.70TB in April.
The market regained momentum in May, when data consumption reached 1,504,067.36TB, followed by 1,532,172.67TB in June and 1,662,021.45TB in July.
This means monthly data consumption increased by about 44 per cent between August 2025 and July 2026, substantially outpacing subscriber growth during the same period.
The divergence suggests that the growth of Nigeria’s digital market is being driven not only by more people gaining internet access but also by existing users consuming significantly larger quantities of data.
Telecom Stability Supports Growth
Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, attributed the sustained growth in internet subscriptions to what he described as stable regulatory policies and initiatives.
Adebayo, who also serves as spokesperson for licensed telecommunications operators in Nigeria, said the improved regulatory environment was beginning to attract foreign investment into the telecommunications sector.
He also highlighted the Federal Government’s Zero-Rated Access to Educational Platforms and Content Programme, being implemented in collaboration with the NCC, Federal Ministry of Education and participating telecommunications operators.
The initiative is designed to expand access to digital educational resources by allowing subscribers to access approved educational platforms without incurring data charges.
The programme includes an initial daily allocation of 100MB for educational use, according to Adebayo.
He said initiatives of this nature could help accelerate digital inclusion, expand internet adoption and increase the use of online services, particularly among students and other groups that may face affordability barriers.
Digital Economy Gains Momentum
The latest NCC figures underscore the growing importance of telecommunications infrastructure to Nigeria’s broader digital economy.
Rising data consumption reflects increasing reliance on digital services, including online education, financial technology, social media, e-commerce, streaming, remote work and cloud-based business applications.
For telecom operators, the sustained increase in traffic also points to growing demand for network capacity and investment in infrastructure.
However, the continued expansion of internet usage will depend on the ability of operators and policymakers to address affordability, network quality, infrastructure gaps and access to reliable electricity.
With active internet subscriptions approaching 158 million and monthly data consumption exceeding 1.66 millionTB, Nigeria’s telecommunications market remains one of the country’s most important platforms for expanding digital participation and supporting econom
