Nigeria’s telecommunications industry lost 383 jobs in 2024 as operators grappled with sharply rising operating costs, according to new performance reports from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Staff strength across licensed operators fell from 17,882 workers in 2023 to 17,499 in 2024. The decline came as operators’ operating expenses jumped by 85.35%, rising from N3.16 trillion in 2023 to N5.85 trillion in 2024. The NCC attributed the increase to soaring energy costs, inflation, foreign exchange shortages, and multiple state and local government levies.
GSM providers recorded the highest job losses, cutting staff from 7,212 to 6,658. Internet Service Providers reduced their workforce from 5,589 to 5,473, while Value-Added Service operators dropped from 813 to 713. Fixed-line operators saw a slight rise, while collocation providers and the “Others” category grew modestly.
The industry also faced a steep decline in active voice subscriptions, which fell 26.61% from 224.7 million in 2023 to 164.9 million in 2024, following the enforcement of the NIN-SIM linkage policy. Teledensity dropped accordingly to 76.08%.
Despite the shrinking subscriber base, capital expenditure rose from N990.55 billion to N2.90 trillion, driven by higher costs of imported equipment and ongoing network expansion. Operators added more towers, base stations, and fibre infrastructure.
Telecoms contributed 14.40% to Nigeria’s GDP in Q4 2024, slightly higher than the previous year.
