Nigeria’s mobile connections pass 200 million in September

Nigeria’s active mobile subscriptions crossed 200 million in September, marking a recovery to a level last seen before the 2024 contraction linked to SIM-registration enforcement.

Nairametrics reported on November 12 that the four mobile networks recorded 200,102,038 active subscriptions, drawing on Nigerian Communications Commission data. The mobile total increased from roughly 197.1 million in August.

The count covers connections across MTN, Airtel, Globacom and T2. It is a measure of active subscriptions, rather than a count of individual Nigerians: a person can hold more than one line.

The distinction also matters when comparing published totals. Broader telecom subscription figures may use a different scope from the mobile-network figure reported here.

More active lines indicate a larger base of connections, but the headline total does not by itself establish better coverage, more affordable data or improved service quality.

Those remain separate questions for users and regulators as the industry’s subscriber base expands.

Source: Nairametrics.

Featured image: File photograph: Photographing a village in Nigeria using a mobile phone. Photo: BayoCine / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for display.