Telecom giants MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria have recorded a combined revenue of N2.53 trillion from voice and data services in the first half of 2025—marking a 50.9% surge from the N1.68 trillion generated in the same period of 2024.
MTN Nigeria Leads the Surge
MTN alone accounted for N2.12 trillion, a 55.7% increase from N1.36 trillion in H1 2024.
Key highlights from MTN’s performance include:
Data revenue soared by 69.2% to N1.23 trillion
Voice revenue grew by 40.3% to N887.13 billion
Active data subscribers rose 11.8% to 51 million
Total mobile subscribers reached 84.7 million (up 6.7%)
Average monthly data usage per user hit 13.2GB, boosted by 62.6% smartphone penetration and a 41.2% rise in data traffic
The improved revenue helped MTN bounce back from a loss of N519.1 billion in H1 2024 to a profit of N414.9 billion in H1 2025. Its EBITDA more than doubled to N1.2 trillion, with a margin of 50.6%.
The telco has also revised its 2025 projections, forecasting at least 50% growth in both service revenue and EBITDA margin.
In July, MTN launched the first phase of its US$240 million Dabengwa Tier III Data Centre, set to be West Africa’s largest, enhancing its capabilities in cloud infrastructure and digital transformation.
Airtel Nigeria Shows Strong Growth
Airtel also reported significant gains, with $298 million (approx. N412.43 billion) earned from voice and data services in H1 2025, reflecting a 30.1% increase from N316.94 billion in H1 2024. Breakdown of Airtel’s performance:
Data revenue jumped 40.2% to $164 million (N226.98 billion)
Voice revenue climbed 19.1% to $134 million (N185.46 billion)
Customer base reached 53.6 million, with 29.3 million active data users (up 11.3%)
Monthly data usage per subscriber rose to 9.3GB from 7.3GB
Smartphone penetration hit 51.4%
EBITDA increased 49.9% to $185 million, with a margin of 55.7%
Despite past currency fluctuations, Airtel reports healthier cash flow and stronger financial performance in 2025.
Favorable Economic Climate and Strategic Expansion
Both telcos credit their improved performance to stabilizing macroeconomic factors:
Inflation declined to 22.2% by June 2025
The naira held steady at approximately N1,530/$, improving financial predictability
Karl Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria, said:
“We maintained strong commercial momentum in H1 2025 through disciplined execution, targeted customer engagement, and network investments. Active data users rose by 3.3 million in H1, driving a 41.2% year-on-year increase in data traffic.”
In a major move, Airtel Africa has partnered with SpaceX’s Starlink to bring satellite internet services to underserved areas across Nigeria and eight other African countries. The goal is to boost connectivity in remote schools, health facilities, and rural communities. Starlink already holds licenses in 9 out of 14 of these countries, with others underway.
Both companies appear poised for continued growth, with digital access and innovation at the heart of their strategies.
