Nigerians Now Consume 14.8GB of Mobile Data Monthly as Internet Demand Climbs – MTN

By Nonye Ngoka

The average MTN subscriber in Nigeria now consumes 14.8GB of mobile data every month, highlighting the country’s growing dependence on digital services and high-speed internet.

The figure was disclosed in MTN Nigeria’s Half-Year (H1) 2026 financial results, which show a significant increase in data consumption, driven by rising smartphone adoption and expanding internet usage across the country.

According to the telecom operator, average monthly data usage per subscriber increased by 15.2% year-on-year, contributing to a 38.4% growth in data revenue. The company generated ₦1.70 trillion from data services in the first six months of 2026, up from ₦1.23 trillion recorded during the same period last year.

Data services remained MTN’s biggest revenue driver, accounting for more than half of its ₦2.97 trillion service revenue during the period.

More Nigerians are using smartphones

MTN attributed the strong growth to an expanding base of internet users and increased smartphone ownership.

Its active data subscriber base rose 9.3% to 55.7 million, while smartphone penetration reached 66.4%, meaning roughly two out of every three customers now access the network through smartphones capable of consuming larger volumes of data.

The company also reported a 25.8% increase in network data traffic, reflecting heavier internet usage across its network.

Digital lifestyles driving higher data consumption

The latest figures indicate that Nigerians are spending more time online than ever before.

With an average monthly usage of nearly 15GB, subscribers are increasingly streaming videos, attending virtual meetings, using cloud-based applications, accessing digital banking platforms, participating in online learning, gaming, and engaging on social media.

The trend underscores how internet connectivity has become an essential part of daily life, supporting communication, work, education, entertainment and financial services.

MTN expands broadband investments

MTN described data as its most important long-term growth opportunity and said it continues to invest heavily in expanding network capacity to meet rising customer demand.

The company also revealed that it is strengthening its home broadband offerings by expanding its Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) and 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services, as demand for faster and more reliable internet connections continues to grow.

Strong financial performance

Beyond its data business, MTN recorded impressive financial results during the first half of the year.

The company reported total revenue of ₦2.99 trillion, representing a 25.9% year-on-year increase, while profit after tax surged 70.6% to ₦707.5 billion.

Its subscriber base also expanded to 92.2 million, up 8.9% from 84.7 million recorded a year earlier, further cementing MTN Nigeria’s position as the country’s largest mobile network operator.

The latest results reinforce the growing role of digital connectivity in Nigeria’s economy, as increasing smartphone adoption and higher internet usage continue to drive demand for telecom services.