Nigeria’s telecommunications sector experienced one of its sharpest declines in recent history in 2024, as active mobile lines fell by 59.7 million following the strict implementation of the National Identification Number–Subscriber Identity Module (NIN–SIM) linkage policy. This is according to the Nigerian Communications Commission’s 2024 Subscriber/Network Performance Report.
The industry’s active voice subscriptions dropped from 224.7 million in 2023 to 164.9 million by the end of 2024, representing a 26.6 per cent year-on-year decline. The NCC attributed the steep fall to the removal of SIM cards not linked to verified NINs, as well as the correction of long-standing subscriber-count discrepancies by a major mobile operator.
The purge followed the Federal Government’s years-long campaign to ensure that all SIM cards are connected to valid NINs, a policy introduced on 4 February 2020 and jointly enforced by the NCC and the National Identity Management Commission. After multiple deadline extensions between 2023 and 2024, the final cut-off for compliance was set for 14 September 2024, with unverified lines automatically deactivated from the next day.
Authorities say the policy is aimed at curbing the criminal use of anonymous SIMs, strengthening national security and improving the accuracy of the national identity database. It is also expected to enhance service delivery, expand financial inclusion and support the country’s digital payments ecosystem.
President Bola Tinubu announced in September 2024 that more than 126 million citizens had been captured in the National Identity Database, following an expansion that increased its capacity from 100 million to 250 million records to eliminate enrolment bottlenecks.
As anticipated, teledensity also dipped significantly, dropping from 103.66 per cent in 2023 to 76.08 per cent in 2024. Internet subscriptions fell from 163.8 million to 139.3 million within the same period, a loss of 24.6 million users, or a 14.98 per cent contraction.
Despite the decline in user numbers, the regulator highlighted continued progress in network expansion. The country now boasts over 95 per cent cellular coverage, and broadband penetration inched up from 43.71 per cent to 44.43 per cent, driven by widespread availability of 3G (89 per cent), 4G (84 per cent), and growing 5G (13 per cent) services.
Fresh NCC data indicate that the sector has begun to stabilise. Active mobile subscriptions rose to 173.54 million in September 2025, up from 171.57 million in August. Internet subscriptions on GSM networks also increased to 140.36 million, while teledensity climbed to 80.05 per cent, signalling a gradual recovery and renewed market momentum.
