Active voice calls and internet data usage in Nigeria rose by 8.44 percent and 11.24 percent respectively within 6 months in 2020 from the first quarter (Q1 2020) to the third quarter (Q3 2020).

This is apparently reflecting the impact of the lockdown and restrictions imposed by the federal government due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in a report on telecoms data on active voice and internet per state, porting and tariff information for Q2 and Q3, noted that over 205 million telephone subscribers on voice calls were active by Q3 2020 as against 189 million subscribers at the end of Q1 2020.

In the report, NBS stated: “Telecoms data for Q2 and Q3 2020 reflected that a total of 196,242,456 and 205,252,058 subscribers were active on voice as against 189,282,796 in Q1 2020.

“This represented a 4.59 per cent increase in voice subscriptions quarter-on-quarter.” Year-on-Year (YoY), this shows an increase of 14.55 percent when compared to 179,176,930 subscribers recorded in Q3 2019.

Similarly, the NBS stated that a total of 143,636,816 and 151,512,122 subscribers were active on the Internet as against 136,203,231 in Q1 2020.

It noted that this represented “5.48 per cent growth in internet subscriptions quarter-on-quarter, and 23.02 percent YoY compared to 123,163,027 internet subscriptions in Q3 2019.”

The bureau further stated that Lagos State had the highest number of subscribers in terms of active voice per state in Q3 2020, closely followed by Kano and Ogun states respectively.

Bayelsa and Ekiti states had the least number of subscribers, according to the statistic agency.

The report also noted that Lagos State had the highest number of subscribers in terms of active internet per state in Q3 2020 and was closely followed by Kano and Ogun states respectively, while Bayelsa and Ebonyi states had the least number of subscribers.