MTN and Airtel led Nigeria’s data revolution in 2025.
Together, they earned over ₦3.6 trillion from data services alone.
As a result, data revenue pushed voice income firmly aside nationwide.
MTN And Airtel Record Data Growth
MTN Nigeria generated ₦2.8 trillion in data revenue in 2025.
This figure marked a 74.5% rise from ₦1.6 trillion in 2024.
During the year, customers increased data traffic by 34%.
At the same time, subscribers lifted average usage by 20% to 13.1GB.
Chief Executive Officer Karl Toriola affirmed that Nigerians continue to demand more connectivity.
Meanwhile, Airtel Nigeria generated ₦838.6 billion from data in nine months.
The company also grew revenue by 67.4% year on year.
Customers pushed average monthly usage to 10.7GB.
In addition, smartphone penetration rose to 54.1%.
Notably, smartphone users consumed 13.4GB per month on average.
Chief Executive Officer Dinesh Balsingh attributed the gains to sustained network investment.
Rising Consumption Trends
On January 20, 2025, the Nigerian Communications Commission approved a 50% tariff increase.
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Consequently, operators raised the average price of 1GB to ₦431.25.
They also increased SMS charges from ₦4 to ₦6.
Nevertheless, Nigerians continued to raise national data consumption.
In May 2025, users consumed 1.04 million terabytes nationwide.
Subsequently, they lifted usage to 1.38 million terabytes by December.
First, short-form video platforms sharply increased daily data consumption.
Popular platforms include TikTok and Instagram.
Furthermore, remote workers expanded usage across sectors.
They relied heavily on Microsoft Teams and Google Meet.
Meanwhile, gamers and livestreamers placed additional pressure on networks.
Network Investment Drive
In response, MTN Nigeria invested ₦1 trillion in network capacity during 2025.
Similarly, Airtel Nigeria accelerated fibre rollout across cities and states.
Looking ahead, both operators plan further upgrades in 2026.
Ultimately, data now drives Nigeria’s telecom growth story.
