MTN Nigeria posted revenue of ₦2.99 trillion for the first half of 2026, driven by surging demand for mobile internet services that generated ₦1.7 trillion and further cemented data as the company’s largest source of earnings.
The telecommunications operator’s unaudited financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2026, showed revenue increased by 25.9 per cent from ₦2.38 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. The performance reflects sustained demand for digital connectivity by consumers and businesses despite Nigeria’s challenging economic environment.
Voice services remained the second-largest revenue contributor, generating ₦897.1 billion, while SMS services delivered ₦112.7 billion. Interconnect and roaming operations contributed ₦112.2 billion, with Brandspur Banking News Desk reporting that value-added services generated ₦77.1 billion and digital services added ₦58.7 billion to the company’s earnings. Handset and accessory sales brought in ₦11 billion, rental income stood at ₦506 million, while other revenue streams contributed ₦23.9 billion.
MTN’s data business continued to expand as more Nigerians embraced smartphones and internet-enabled services. The company said its active data subscriber base grew to about 55 million during the period, while smartphone penetration across its network rose to 66.2 per cent. Average monthly data consumption increased to 14.3 gigabytes per subscriber, contributing to a nearly 23 per cent rise in overall data traffic compared with the same period last year.
To support rising network usage, MTN accelerated investment in network infrastructure and capacity expansion during the first half of the year. The operator, however, expects capital expenditure to moderate in the second half of 2026 following the intensive rollout completed in the opening six months.
The latest results underscore the continued transformation of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, where mobile broadband has become the primary driver of industry growth as consumers increasingly depend on internet services for banking, education, entertainment, remote work and digital commerce. The performance also reinforces MTN Nigeria’s market leadership as expanding broadband adoption continues to reshape the company’s revenue mix.
