Southwest leads voice calls, internet subscription

Among the entire six regions captured in a new report, the South West region posted the highest numbers both in the voice call and internet subscription segments of the Nigerian telecom market.

With a total number of 45,272,427 active voice subscription representing 28per  cent of the total number 164,505,060 of both prepaid and post-paid mobile subscribers and 185,475 subscribers indicating 65per cent of the total subscriptions, the region led the table last year, according to the latest stats compiled by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).       

The report, under the Market Share of Active Voice Subscriptions (Mobile GSM Segment – December 2024) segment noted that the “Market share of mobile operators were analysed through the breakdown of each operator`s subscription; [MTN; AIRTEL; GLO and EMTS] each recorded 84,607,831; 56,619,381; 20,137,951 and 3,283,270 subscribers respectively. In that order MTN; AIRTEL; GLO and EMTS (trading now T2) had 51.39per cent; 34.39per cent; 12.23per cent and 1.99per cent share of the mobile GSM market respectively in the month of December 2024.

Prepared by the Policy, Competition and Economic Analysis Department of the Commission,  said in analysing the annual trend of the active voice subscription services in the country, for all market segments; the growth in voice subscription was ultimately driven by the mobile (GSM) market segment which accounted for 99.8per cent, while, Fixed Wired/Wireless and VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) market segments each accounted for 0.1per cent each of the entire market share in terms of technology deployment.

Analysis of the prepaid & postpaid mobile voice subscriptions during the year under review (2024) further showed that total prepaid mobile voice subscriptions decreased from 217,143,995 in December 2023 to 161,470,725 in December 2024 indicating a decline of 25.63per cent in prepaid mobile voice subscriptions. “Postpaid mobile voice subscriptions decreased from 7,457,744 in December 2023 to 3,034,335 as at December 2024 indicating a drop of 59.32per cent in postpaid mobile voice subscriptions as at year end 2024.  In summary, the above analysis indicates that about 98.16per cent of mobile subscribers are prepaid subscribers while only about 3.3per cent are postpaid,” the data showed.

The Southwest’s 45,272,427 was followed by Northwest’s 32,003,370; Northcentral’s 29,436,490; Southsouth’s 23,183,403; Northeast’s 18,291, 541, and Southeast’s 16,739,368.

On Active Internet Subscribers per region, the regulator noted that upon analysing the ISP (internet service providers (ISP)segment, an illustration of the total distribution of internet subscribers per region as at December 2024 showed the total number of ISPs in the six geopolitical zones was 285,605.

 “The breakdown of the analysis is as follows:  South-West had the highest number of Internet subscribers in December 2024 with 185,475 subscribers indicating 65per cent of the total subscriptions; North-Central had the second highest with 48,754 subscribers (17per cent); South-South had 28,779 (10 per cent) subscribers; North-West had 12,381 (four per cent) subscribers; South-East had 6,671 three per cent) subscribers.  North-East had 3,545 (one per cent), which was the least subscription of all the regions,” the report noted.

As at December 2024 the total active internet subscriptions decreased to 138,983,537 from 163,603,459 subscriptions reported in December 2023. This indicates a 15.05per cent decline in total active internet subscriptions year on year.

MTN Nigeria in Dec 2023, had 70,659,889 which increased to 72,221,248 in Dec 2024 with a difference of 1,561,359 representing a 2.21 percentage change; Glo  had 43,998,101 in 2023; 17,076,430 in 2024 representing -61.19 per cent and a difference of 26,921,671; Airtel had 45,064,857 in Dec 2023 and 47,412,761in 2024, a difference of 2,347,904 and a 5.21 percentage; EMTS (T2) had 3,630,796 in 2023 and 2,064,533 in 2024 with a difference of 1,566,263 and marking -43.14 percentage change; SMILE had 246,199 and  208,565 for 2023 and 2024 respectively with a difference of 37,634 and a -15.29 per centage change; and NTEL’s 3,617.

Total subscription in 2023 was 163,603,459 and 138,983,537 in 2024 with a difference of 24,619,922 and a -15.05 percentage change.