Nigeria’s internet consumption declined in September 2024, marking the first drop since February 2024.
This was according to the latest industry statistics report by the Nigerian Communications Commission.
Data usage fell to over 850 terabytes in September, a slight 0.82 per cent drop from the 853terabytes recorded in August. This drop coincided with a decrease in subscriber base in the country in September.
The decline in subscriptions across telecom operators has been largely attributed to the recent verification of National Identification Numbers linked with SIM cards As a result, the four major operators – MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile – deactivated a total of 64.3 million lines.
The industry now has 154.6 million active subscriptions as of September 2024, down from the 219 million reported in March. Meanwhile, 5G adoption in Nigeria continues to show steady progress.
Penetration rose to 2.19 per cent in September, compared to 2.12 per cent in August and 1.95 per cent in July, underscoring increasing interest in the high-speed technology.
