Industry data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows that mobile internet users fell by 574,474 in June 2026, reflecting Nigerians’ growing reliance on wired and wireless broadband networks.

From 157.02 million subscribers in May 2026, mobile internet users dropped to 156.48 million in June 2026, marking the first sharp decline in two years. MTN led the market with 83.7 million users, followed by Airtel with 56.3 million subscribers and Globacom with 15.5 million. T2mobile accounted for the remaining 802,534 users, a figure that has not changed in three months.

The development comes amid rising internet usage and demand, as more Nigerians shift from traditional work patterns to online spaces. While mobile networks provided by MTN, Airtel, Globacom and T2mobile remain widely used, demand for high-speed internet is gradually changing user behavior, especially as more activities now require stable connections and larger data bundles.

Consumers are increasingly turning to alternatives such as fibre-to-the-x, fibre-to-the-home (FTTH), and data packages offered by internet service providers including Spectranet, Starlink, FibreOne and other broadband networks.

Data shows that between January and June 2026, Nigeria’s active ISP subscriber base increased by 69,000, from 352,006 in Q4 2025 to 420,989 in Q2 2026.

The shift comes at a time when demand for unlimited data offerings is rising as newer phones and systems increasingly feature immersive interfaces. Heavier background tasks, high-resolution media, and constant cloud backups are making system updates and application downloads larger and more frequent. For users, that makes connection quality and data value more relevant than access alone.

As a result, internet users are seeking data offerings that better match their purchasing power and value needs, helping explain the decline in mobile internet subscribers.

In June 2026, data usage in Nigeria reached a new monthly record of 1.53 million terabytes. That indicates Nigerians are buying more data, even as their spending is shifting across different access channels.

While mobile internet users declined in June 2026, total Nigerian telecom users rose by 2.7 million, from 189.7 million to 192.2 million, with teledensity now at 88.67%.

Industry data shows that MTN Nigeria was the highest gainer in the month, adding nearly 2 million new users and moving closer to the 100 million mark. Airtel followed with 66.12 million users, while Globacom had 23.7 million subscribers.

T2mobile, formerly 9mobile, remained at 3.54 million subscribers, a level the operator has maintained for three months.

By network share, 4G stood at 54.31% and 5G rose to 4.61%. 2G, rather than continuing its expected decline to free up spectrum for newer networks, increased slightly from 36.12% to 36.22% in June. 3G moved closer to exit, falling from 5.10% to 4.86%.

The data points to a two-speed digital transition in Nigeria. Urban users are increasingly moving to 4G and 5G, while a large share of the population remains on 2G because of device affordability and coverage limitations.

Also read: Starlink closes in on Spectranet with 98,642 subscribers in Nigeria.

For more industry data, see the NCC’s market data reports.