In its latest update on Telecoms industry statistics, the National Bureau of Statistics reported a 3.7% y/y growth in active voice subscriptions in Q1’22 from about 192m subscribers in Q1’21 to c.200m subscribers. On a q/q basis, the growth rate was slightly lower at 2.1%. Active internet subscribers also grew by 0.6% y/y in the period. Disaggregating by state, Lagos (c.24.2m) had the highest number of active voice subscribers followed by Kano (11.6m), and Ogun (11.5m). 

The lowest numbers were in Bayelsa and Ekiti with 1.5m and 1.8m subscribers respectively. Similarly, Lagos topped the list for active internet subscribers with 17.8m subscribers. Ogun and Kano states were a distant second and third with 8.5m and 8.4m subscribers respectively. 

Broadly, the south-west and south-south regions had the highest number of voice subscribers at 56.6m and 29.2m respectively. On the other hand, the lowest subscriptions were in the south-east (19.6m) and north-east (19.4m) regions

For mobile network operators (MNOs), MTN Nigeria (MTNN) had the highest share of voice subscriptions in the period with a 37.7% market share. This was followed by Glo (28.0%), Airtel (27.7%), and 9mobile (6.4%).

Also, MTN and Glo were the only MNO that recorded a net port-in of subscribers. Net port-in of subscribers for MTN and Glo amounted to 1,286 and 69 respectively over the three months period

Airtel and 9mobile on the other hand recorded a net subscriber port-out of 6,103 and 1,255 respectively.

The growth in Telco subscriber base was well reflected in Q1’22 revenue numbers of mobile network operators. However, we expect the number of active subscribers in Q2’22 to reflect the restrictions placed on NIN-SIM linkage defaulters.

We also expect notable improvements in data revenue following an anticipated increase in voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) usage as a result of the restricition on outgoing calls placed on NIN-SIM linkage defaulters.