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Despite deactivation of 64m lines by NCC, mobile subscription grows by 2.7m

MTN

…MTN, Airtel drive recovery

Mobile subscriptions in Nigeria rose to 157.3 million in October 2024, up from 154.6 million in September 2024, reflecting a 2.7 million increase.

The development marks a steady recovery following the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) audit and the enforcement of the NIN-SIM linkage exercise, which had led to a drastic reduction of 64.3 million subscriptions between March and September.

According to the latest data released by the NCC on Wednesday, leading operators MTN and Airtel were the driving forces behind this growth, recording significant increases in their subscriber bases during the period.

The country’s teledensity, which measures the number of active telephone connections per 100 inhabitants, also rose to 72.7 per cent in October, up from 71.46 per cent in September, based on an estimated population of 216 million.

The statistics showed that MTN, the largest telecom operator, added 2.2 million subscriptions, boosting its total active users to 80.3 million, up from 78 million in September 2024. This growth solidified MTN’s dominance with a 51.09 per cent market share.

Airtel, the second-largest operator, gained 697,430 new subscriptions, bringing its total to 54.4 million, up from 53.7 million. Airtel now holds a 31.61 per cent market share.

However, Globacom continued to struggle, losing 44,635 subscriptions in October. Its active subscriptions dropped to 19.1 million, reducing its market share to 12.15 per cent.

9mobile, grappling with persistent challenges, recorded a further decline of 245,263 subscriptions, leaving it with only 3.3 million active users and a 2.15 per cent market share.

The NCC attributed the earlier sharp decline in subscriptions to the NIN-SIM linkage exercise, which mandated the disconnection of all SIMs not linked to a National Identification Number (NIN).

Additionally, the NCC conducted a thorough audit of telecom operators’ databases, aimed at eliminating inactive and improperly registered lines. During this process, the Commission discovered that one operator had misclassified approximately 40 million inactive lines as active, violating the NCC’s guideline that considers subscribers active only if they generate revenue within a 90-day period.

“The audit was necessary to ensure accurate industry data and eliminate discrepancies caused by improperly classified lines,” the NCC stated.

The telecom sector is now recovering, with MTN and Airtel leading the resurgence, while other operators face challenges adapting to the post-audit realities.

 

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