Nigeria’s telecommunications sector recorded modest growth in subscriber numbers in March 2026, driven by the activation and reactivation of about 1.11 million SIM cards, according to new data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The data showed that active telephone subscriptions rose from 184.6 million in February to 185.7 million in March, while teledensity increased slightly from 85.16 per cent to 85.67 per cent over the same period.
Market analysis indicated that MTN Nigeria maintained its dominance with 95.7 million subscribers, representing a 51.6 per cent market share. Airtel Nigeria followed with 63.6 million users, accounting for 34.3 per cent, while Globacom recorded 22.6 million subscribers, translating to a 12.2 per cent share. T2, formerly known as 9mobile, trailed with 3.47 million subscribers, representing 1.88 per cent of the market.
Further breakdown of the data revealed that Nigeria’s data consumption, which reached four million terabytes by the end of the first quarter, continues to rely largely on legacy and mid-tier network technologies. Fourth-generation (4G) networks accounted for 53.76 per cent of total connections, followed by 2G at 36.74 per cent and 3G at 5.30 per cent. Fifth-generation (5G) technology, despite being nearly four years since its commercial launch in October 2022, recorded a penetration rate of 4.2 per cent, with adoption concentrated in major urban centres such as Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.
Meanwhile, subscribers affected by persistent service disruptions are beginning to receive compensation as the NCC enforces its Consumer Compensation Framework across the industry. The policy mandates telecom operators to issue automatic airtime refunds to users impacted by poor service quality, marking a shift from previous regulatory practices where penalties were imposed on operators without direct compensation to consumers.
Airtel Nigeria was among the first to commence payouts, with subscribers receiving SMS notifications confirming airtime credits for service failures experienced between November 2025 and January 2026. Reports indicate that compensation amounts ranged from about ₦167 to over ₦500, depending on usage patterns and location. MTN Nigeria also initiated similar compensation, with affected users receiving airtime credits ranging from ₦20 to over ₦341.
The NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, had earlier stated that the new framework is designed to ensure that consumers directly benefit from regulatory enforcement. He emphasised that the compensation is a compliance obligation for service providers rather than a discretionary measure.
Under the framework, eligibility is determined through a granular monitoring system that tracks network performance at the local government level. Subscribers who experienced outages and carried out billable activities during the affected period automatically qualify for compensation, without the need for formal claims.
In parallel, the regulator is pushing for significant infrastructure upgrades to improve service quality and reduce future disruptions. Telecom operators have collectively committed to approximately 12,000 network upgrades in 2026, a sharp increase from just over 300 upgrades recorded in the previous year. One major operator has also pledged more than $1 billion in capital expenditure to strengthen network capacity.
Industry analysts note that while the compensation initiative represents a significant win for consumer protection, sustained improvements in service delivery will depend on the successful execution of these infrastructure investments.
