Nigerians spent an estimated ₦1.7 trillion on MTN Nigeria’s data services during the first half of 2026, underscoring the growing reliance on internet connectivity despite the country’s challenging economic conditions.
The figure was revealed in MTN Nigeria’s unaudited financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2026, which were submitted to the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX).
According to the report, data revenue surged to ₦1.699 trillion, representing a 38.3 percent increase from the ₦1.229 trillion recorded during the same period in 2025.
Data services remained MTN Nigeria’s biggest source of income during the review period, outperforming all other revenue streams. Voice services generated ₦897.14 billion, while SMS contributed ₦112.68 billion.
Overall, the telecommunications giant recorded total revenue of ₦2.99 trillion, up from ₦2.38 trillion in the corresponding period of last year, reflecting sustained growth across its operations.
MTN explained that its data revenue includes earnings from mobile data services, fixed broadband, and data bundles, excluding roaming data, which is classified under interconnect and roaming revenue.
Other revenue sources recorded during the six-month period include:
- Digital services: ₦58.66 billion
- Value-added services: ₦77.06 billion
- Handsets and accessories: ₦11.03 billion
- Interconnect and roaming: ₦112.20 billion
- Other revenue: ₦23.90 billion
The company also expanded its customer base by adding 4.9 million new subscribers, bringing its total subscribers to 92.2 million. Active data users also increased by 2.5 million, reaching 55.7 million.
Commenting on the company’s performance, MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, said the operator maintained strong commercial growth despite operating in a difficult business environment.
He noted that MTN delivered a strong first-half performance driven by improved profitability, robust cash generation, and resilient demand for its telecommunications services despite prevailing macroeconomic challenges.
The surge in data usage significantly boosted the company’s financial performance.
MTN reported that operating profit increased by 50.71 percent to ₦1.26 trillion, while profit after tax rose sharply to ₦694.54 billion, compared to ₦351.66 billion recorded during the same period in 2025.
Shareholders’ funds also improved significantly, rising to ₦957.57 billion from ₦588.44 billion as of December 2025.
During the period, the telecom company generated ₦1.55 trillion in operating cash flow, stating that it has sufficient liquidity and financial resources to meet its obligations over the next 12 months.
MTN attributed part of its stronger earnings to improvements in Nigeria’s foreign exchange market.
According to the company, the naira remained relatively stable, closing at approximately ₦1,380 per US dollar during the first half of 2026, compared with ₦1,530 per dollar in the corresponding period of 2025.
The improved exchange rate enabled MTN to record a foreign exchange gain of ₦36.4 billion, reversing the ₦5.2 billion foreign exchange loss reported during the same period last year.
The company further disclosed that it has completely cleared its outstanding foreign currency loans, a move that significantly reduces its exposure to future exchange rate volatility and strengthens its financial position.
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