MTN, Airtel, Others Increase Earnings to N3trn as Nigeria’s Appetite for Data Nearly Doubles in 2yrs

Nigeria's data demand has surged, with over 169 million mobile subscriptions and a significant increase in broadband penetration, leading to the telecom industry's contribution to the nation's GDP valued at roughly $14 billion. Telecom giants MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria reported robust Q2 2025 results, with data revenue growth driving their earnings to an estimated N3 trillion.

MTN Nigeria alone posted a Q2 profit of $1 billion, marking a remarkable recovery from a N1 trillion forex loss the previous year. Airtel Nigeria also saw strong revenue growth in voice and data services.

Analysts attribute this success to foreign exchange policy reforms, higher oil output, and stabilisation measures. MTN Nigeria's CFO highlighted the importance of data in redefining telecom strategies, while assuring the public of the security of their critical infrastructure despite a recent data breach.