Globacom Leads Nigeria’s Internet Subscriber Growth, Adds 1.2 Million Users in One Month

Nigeria’s indigenous telecommunications giant, Globacom, has emerged as the country’s fastest-growing internet service provider after recording the highest increase in internet subscribers in May, according to the latest industry data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The figures showed that Nigeria’s total internet subscriber base climbed from 154.3 million in April to about 157 million in May, representing a net increase of 2.67 million new subscribers within the month.

Of the total additions, Globacom accounted for nearly half, growing its subscriber base from 15.5 million to 16.8 million, a remarkable gain of approximately 1.2 million internet users in just one month.
The impressive performance places the telecom operator ahead of its major competitors and signals a significant turnaround in its market position following sustained investments in network expansion and service quality.

Airtel Nigeria ranked second with an addition of about 1.07 million subscribers, increasing its internet customer base to 55.8 million from 54.8 million in April.
MTN Nigeria also recorded growth, adding 382,894 subscribers to reach 83.5 million internet users, up from 83.1 million in the previous month.

Meanwhile, T2 Mobile (formerly 9mobile) failed to record any subscriber growth for the second consecutive month, maintaining an internet subscriber base of 802,534.
The stagnant performance comes despite the NCC’s approval of a national roaming agreement between T2 Mobile and MTN Nigeria, which was expected to improve T2’s network coverage and boost subscriber acquisition.

Industry analysts believe Globacom’s outstanding performance is largely driven by its aggressive investment in modernising its telecommunications infrastructure across the country.

The company has embarked on a nationwide network upgrade programme, deploying thousands of new base stations, expanding its fibre-optic backbone, relocating critical infrastructure affected by road construction projects, and rolling out thousands of additional 4G LTE sites across major cities and underserved communities.

These investments have significantly enhanced network capacity, improved service reliability, expanded broadband coverage, and strengthened customer experience, enabling Globacom to compete more effectively in Nigeria’s increasingly competitive telecommunications sector.
Industry observers say the latest subscriber figures underscore the positive impact of the company’s long-term infrastructure strategy and reaffirm its growing influence in Nigeria’s digital economy.