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Nigeria’s data consumption hits 4 million terabytes in Q1 2026 – Technology Times
Nigeria’s telecoms sector is entering a new phase of digital intensity, with data consumption crossing four million terabytes in the first quarter of 2026, even as teledensity climbed to 85.67%, according to the telecoms regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The surge in consumption comes as Nigeria’s telecoms penetration approaches saturation, with teledensity rising to 85.67% and total active subscriptions reaching 185.5 million during the same period. The figures point to a market that is no longer defined primarily by how many people are connected, but by how much data they consume.
NCC’s industry statistics show that Nigerians consumed a total of 4,068,360.85 terabytes of data between January and March 2026, reflecting the growing centrality of internet usage in everyday life, from streaming and social media to financial services and enterprise connectivity.
| Month | January 2026 | February 2026 | March 2026 |
| Terabytes | 1,385,536.04 | 1,260,060.27 | 1,422,764.54 |
A monthly breakdown of the figures shows that data usage stood at 1,385,536.04 terabytes in January, declined to 1,260,060.27 terabytes in February, and rose again to 1,422,764.54 terabytes in March, highlighting both the scale and fluctuations in demand across networks.
The surge in data consumption comes as Nigeria’s telecoms penetration approaches saturation, with teledensity rising to 85.67% and total active subscriptions reaching 185.5 million during the same period. The figures point to a market that is no longer defined primarily by how many people are connected, but by how much data they consume.
According to the regulator’s data, MTN Nigeria maintained its lead with 95.7 million subscribers, representing 51.62% share, after adding about 2.6 million new users in the first quarter.
Airtel Nigeria remained the second-largest operator with 63.6 million subscribers and a 34.3% share, recording the highest net additions of 2.7 million new connections during the period.
In contrast, Globacom continued its gradual recovery, ending the quarter with 22.6 million subscribers after adding just over 414,000 new lines, while T2 Mobile recorded 3.4 million subscribers, reflecting its limited footprint despite recent restructuring efforts
.
The widening gap between the top two operators and smaller players underscores how scale is becoming increasingly important in a data-driven market. With millions of terabytes flowing across networks, operators with deeper infrastructure and wider coverage are better positioned to capture value.
To meet rising demand, telecoms companies are ramping up investments in network expansion and capacity upgrades. MTN Nigeria disclosed that it invested about ₦1 trillion in 2025 to expand fibre infrastructure, deploy additional base stations, and strengthen network capacity nationwide.
Similarly, Airtel Nigeria has expanded its network footprint significantly, while Globacom has undertaken a nationwide upgrade to improve data speeds and reduce congestion. T2 Mobile is also rebuilding its network through a partnership with Huawei as part of its turnaround strategy.
Despite the strong growth in both subscriptions and data usage, operators are contending with rising operational costs. MTN Nigeria reported a 41.8% increase in service revenue to ₦1.5 trillion in Q1 2026, with profit after tax rising by 165.9% to ₦355.5 billion, but warned that high diesel prices could weigh on margins for the full year.
As Nigeria moves closer to universal telecoms access, the industry’s next phase will likely be defined not by how many people are connected, but by the quality, speed, and affordability of the data services powering an increasingly digital economy.
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The police command in Adamawa has arrested two suspected fraudsters for alleged ATM card swap fraud in the state.
The suspects were identified as Yusuf Maika and Abubakar Mustapha, 52 years, both residents of Jos, Plateau State.
In a statement on Friday, the command’s spokesperson, Suleiman Nguroje, said the suspects were arrested for allegedly defrauding one Yunusa Usman of the sum of ₦400,000 at an Access Bank ATM cubicle in the state.
“The arrest followed a complaint lodged by the victim and immidiate response from the Bank’s staff on Monday, 7th September, 2026,” the statement said.
The command noted that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects specialise in targeting ATM users experiencing network or transaction difficulties.
It added that the suspects offered unsolicited assistance to such victims, observe their PINs, and subsequently swap their ATM cards with similar cards without their knowledge.
“The suspects would then use a mobile POS machine to withdraw or transfer funds from the victims’ accounts,” the statement added.
Items recovered from the suspects include 23 ATM cards belonging to different banks, one moniepoint POS machine used in debiting victims’ accounts and the sum of ₦400,000, proceeds of the alleged fraud.
The command explained that during interrogation, the suspects disclosed that they came to Adamawa State from Jos, Plateau State last week for the purpose of perpetrating the crime.
It added that the suspects remain in police custody and will be charged to court upon completion of investigation.
The command urged members of the public to exercise caution when using ATM facilities, avoid disclosing their PINs to anyone, and immediately report any suspicious individual offering unsolicited assistance at ATM points to the police or bank officials.
Nigeria’s Flamingos continued preparations for their upcoming assignment with a comfortable 3–0 victory over Generation Next Queens in an 80-minute training match.
The encounter provided the national U-17 women’s team with another opportunity to test their readiness, assess their options and build match sharpness ahead of their competitive engagements.
The Flamingos made a bright start and took the lead as early as the sixth minute through an own goal by Blessing Ibrahim, giving the national side an early advantage.
Nigeria continued to control proceedings and doubled their lead eight minutes later when Mary Dunstan found the back of the net in the 14th minute.
Generation Next Queens attempted to respond, but the Flamingos maintained their control and went into the interval with a two-goal advantage.
The national U-17 side continued in similar fashion after the restart and added a third goal in the 49th minute, with Gbemisola Jaiye unfortunately turning the ball into her own net.
The Flamingos subsequently managed the remainder of the encounter to secure a comprehensive 3–0 victory at the end of the 80-minute contest.
Although it was only a training match, the fixture offered valuable competitive minutes for the Flamingos as the coaching crew continues to work on the team’s tactical organisation, combinations and overall match fitness.
The performance also gives the players an opportunity to build confidence, particularly with the team’s preparations focused on ensuring they are ready for the demands of their upcoming competitive fixtures.
The Flamingos will now continue their preparations, with the technical crew expected to use lessons from the encounter to fine-tune the squad ahead of their next assignment.
The 3–0 victory over Generation Next Queens provides another positive result for Nigeria’s U-17 women as their preparations continue.
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