MTN Nigeria recorded a 30.1 per cent increase in network data traffic during the first nine months of 2026, as its active data subscriber base expanded to 57.2 million amid rising demand for internet connectivity and digital services.
The telecommunications operator disclosed the figures in its unaudited financial results for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday.
According to the report, active data users increased by 12 per cent from 51.1 million in the corresponding period of 2025 to 57.2 million.
Average monthly data consumption per active user also rose by 16.2 per cent to 15.3 gigabytes, reflecting higher internet usage among existing subscribers.
MTN Data Revenue Climbs to ₦2.68 Trillion
The increase in data consumption contributed to a 35.8 per cent rise in MTN Nigeria’s data revenue, which reached ₦2.68 trillion during the nine-month period.
Data services emerged as the company’s largest reported revenue contributor, supported by growing demand for mobile internet, digital applications and broadband connectivity.
MTN attributed the performance to increased digital adoption, higher subscriber usage and continued expansion of its connectivity services.
The company’s total mobile subscriber base also grew by 10.9 per cent to 94.7 million, compared with 85.4 million in September 2025.
MTN Invests ₦864.8 Billion in Network Expansion
To accommodate growing demand, MTN Nigeria increased capital expenditure, excluding leases, by 14.2 per cent to ₦864.8 billion during the first nine months of 2026.
Investment accelerated in the third quarter, with spending rising by 69.1 per cent year-on-year to ₦243.9 billion.
The company said the expenditure supported network rollout, coverage expansion, additional capacity and service quality improvements.
The investments were intended to help the operator manage rising traffic volumes while extending connectivity to more customers.
Broadband Subscribers Reach 2.21 Million
MTN’s broadband business also recorded growth during the reporting period.
Broadband subscribers increased to 2.21 million at the end of September 2026, up from 1.89 million at the end of June.
The figures represent an increase of approximately 320,000 broadband subscribers within three months.
The company said its fibre-to-the-home service accounted for about 13 per cent of total data traffic, helping to shift some internet demand away from the mobile network.
MTN identified home broadband as an important area of continued expansion.
Smartphone Adoption and 5G Coverage Increase
The report showed that smartphone penetration reached 66 per cent across MTN Nigeria’s network.
The company’s reported 5G population coverage also increased to 13.19 per cent, compared with 12.08 per cent in 2025.
The development reflects ongoing network expansion, although population coverage does not necessarily indicate that all covered residents own 5G-compatible devices or subscribe to 5G services.
MTN said continued investment in digital infrastructure remained necessary to meet changing customer needs.
MTN Reports Nearly 13 Hours of Major Service Disruptions
Despite its network expansion, the telecommunications operator acknowledged service reliability challenges during the third quarter.
The company reported five major information technology and network incidents classified as severity one or severity two.
According to the results, the incidents accounted for a combined 12 hours and 53 minutes of customer downtime.
MTN also reported overall network availability of 99.19 per cent.
The company said it remained focused on improving network capacity, reliability and customer experience as demand for data services continued to grow.
MTN Profit After Tax Rises to ₦1.17 Trillion
The company’s financial performance also strengthened during the reporting period.
Service revenue increased by 23.7 per cent to ₦4.59 trillion, while profit after tax rose by 55.3 per cent to ₦1.17 trillion.
The growth reflected increased demand for telecommunications services alongside the company’s broader operational performance.
MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Officer Karl Toriola attributed the results to higher customer usage, deeper data adoption and growing demand for home broadband services.
He said the company would continue investing in network coverage, capacity and service quality while expanding broadband access.
The results highlight the growing importance of internet connectivity to MTN Nigeria’s business, as well as the infrastructure demands associated with increasing data consumption.
