Nigeria’s telecommunications industry experienced a sharp contraction in 2024, with active voice subscriptions falling by 59.7 million, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) 2024 Subscriber/Network Performance Report. The active subscriber base dropped from 224.7 million in 2023 to 164.9 million, marking a 26.6% year-on-year decline.
The decline was primarily driven by the strict enforcement of the National Identification Number–Subscriber Identity Module (NIN-SIM) policy and the rectification of a long-standing subscriber-count discrepancy by a major network operator. The policy, launched in February 2020, mandates that all SIM cards be linked to valid NINs. After several deadline extensions, the final cut-off on 14 September 2024 led to automatic deactivation of unlinked SIMs.
The initiative aims to curb the criminal use of anonymous SIMs, enhance national security, and improve the reliability of Nigeria’s identity database. It is also expected to bolster service delivery, expand financial inclusion, and support digital payment systems nationwide. By September 2024, over 126 million Nigerians had been enrolled in the National Identity Database, following an expansion of the system’s capacity from 100 million to 250 million records.
The clean-up also impacted teledensity, which fell from 103.66% in 2023 to 76.08% in 2024. Internet subscriptions declined from 163.8 million to 139.3 million, a 14.98% reduction. Despite the contraction, Nigeria maintained over 95% cellular coverage, while broadband penetration edged up from 43.71% to 44.43%, supported by 3G, 4G, and 5G networks.
Recent NCC data show the sector is stabilising. Active voice subscriptions rose to 173.54 million in September 2025, while internet users increased to 140.36 million, and teledensity improved to 80.05%, indicating a gradual recovery following the 2024 NIN-SIM clean-up.