9mobile Disappoints, MTN Dusts Airtel, Glo, As Telcos Gain 12.6m Internet Users

The battle for internet users in Nigeria in 2022 was won by MTN Nigeria, as the company recorded the highest growth in its data subscriber base, compared to Glo, Airtel Nigeria and 9mobile.

Prime Business Africa’s analysis of data obtained from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed that 12.66 million internet users or Nigeria data subscribers joined the telecommunications industry’s subscriber base last year.

This is an 8.93 per cent year-on-year increase, considering the telecoms market closed in 2022 with 154.27 million users, above the 141.61 million subscribers posted in 2021. 

9mobile failed to benefit from the growth in the industry’s subscriber base, instead, the internet provider lost 1.31 million subscribers. 

PBA gathered that 9mobile’s subscriber base depreciated by -22.9 per cent last year, settling at 4,43 million at the end of December 2022, which is below the 5.75 million it closed the same period as the year before.

Much of the additional internet users recorded by the telco industry joined MTN Nigeria, with the y’ello network gaining 6.80 million subscribers. 

Within 12 months, MTN Nigeria’s subscriber base grew by 11.57 per cent, raising the company’s internet users to 65.61 million, up from 58.81 million recorded in 2021. 

Airtel Nigeria followed MTN Nigeria on the list of gainers after securing 3.64 million internet users last year, to take the firm’s total data subscribers to 41.17 million. 

The gain represents a 9.72 per cent increase in Airtel Nigeria’s data subscriber base which was 37.52 million in 2021. However, despite gaining more subscribers compared to Globacom, it couldn’t surpass the latter’s total internet users. 

Globacom recorded 8.91 per cent growth in its total internet users. This means 3.52 million users joined the company according to the analysis of figures obtained from the telecommunications industry’s regulator. 

PBA also learnt that Globacom, owned by Nigerian billionaire businessman, Michael Adenuga, saw its data subscriber base rise from 39.52 million reported in 2021 to 43.03 million last year.