In January 2025, Nigeria reached a significant milestone in its digital journey, with cumulative internet consumption surpassing one million terabytes. This achievement, as reported by the Nigerian Communications Commission, highlights the country’s ongoing digital transformation, which began with the introduction of data usage tracking in 2023.
The data for January 2025 revealed a total consumption of 27,475 terabytes, a noticeable decrease from the previous month’s 94,502 terabytes in December 2024. To put this into perspective, a terabyte equates to 1,000 gigabytes or one million megabytes of data, commonly understood by users of streaming services, online gaming platforms, and business applications.
The telecommunications sector experienced notable changes during this period, particularly with industry leaders such as MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria implementing a 50% increase in data tariffs. This adjustment had the potential to impact consumer behavior and usage patterns, yet both companies managed to expand their subscriber bases significantly. MTN Nigeria saw an addition of 1.4 million new internet users, reaching a total of 73.7 million subscribers, while Airtel Nigeria also showed growth by attracting 1.08 million new customers, bringing their subscriber count to 48.4 million.
However, the competitive landscape varied among providers, with Globacom facing challenges following a regulatory audit in April 2024 that led to a significant reduction in its customer base. In January 2025, the company only managed to attract 313,939 new users. Meanwhile, 9mobile struggled to maintain momentum, reporting no subscriber growth during the same period.
These developments underscore the broader changes taking place in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. While the milestone in cumulative data consumption indicates a rising adoption of the internet across different sectors, the recent decline in monthly usage suggests potential shifts in consumer behavior, possibly influenced by the higher data tariffs imposed by major providers.
The ability of the telecommunications industry to sustain subscriber growth amidst pricing changes highlights the crucial role of internet connectivity in modern Nigerian society. As digital services become increasingly essential in daily life, the sector continues to evolve, balancing consumer needs with operational sustainability.
