Nigeria’s telecommunications and information services sub-sector contributed N5.20 trillion to the country’s real Gross Domestic Product in the second quarter of 2026, growing at more than twice the pace of the wider economy, according to the latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics.
The sub-sector recorded real year-on-year growth of 10.38% during the quarter, accelerating from 7.39% in the corresponding period of 2025.
Its contribution to Nigeria’s real GDP rose to 9.72%, compared with 9.20% a year earlier, making telecommunications and information services the fourth-largest individual contributor to the country’s real economic output during the quarter.
Nigeria’s overall economy expanded by 4.43% in real terms in Q2 2026, up from 4.23% in the same quarter of 2025. The telecommunications and information services sub-sector therefore grew at more than twice the rate of the broader economy.
According to the NBS, the N5.20 trillion output was measured at 2019 constant prices, providing a clearer indication of the sector’s real growth after adjusting for price changes.
The broader Information and Communication sector, which includes telecommunications and information services, broadcasting, motion pictures, sound recording and music production, and publishing, also recorded strong growth during the quarter.
The sector expanded by 9.62% year-on-year in real terms and contributed 11.74% to Nigeria’s total real GDP, compared with 11.18% in Q2 2025 and 11.31% in the first quarter of 2026.
In nominal terms, the broader Information and Communication sector generated N14.64 trillion, accounting for 12.27% of Nigeria’s aggregate nominal GDP. This compared with N10.07 trillion, or 10.00% of nominal GDP, in the corresponding quarter of 2025.
Nominal growth in the sector accelerated to 45.32% year-on-year.
The strong performance coincides with rising demand for mobile data and digital services, which has continued to boost the financial performance of Nigeria’s leading telecommunications operators.
MTN Nigeria recorded a profit before tax of N1.09 trillion in the first half of 2026, representing a 75.4% increase from the corresponding period of the previous year.
The company attributed the performance to strong data demand, improved operating efficiency and lower borrowing costs.
MTN’s data business also continued to expand, with average monthly data usage per subscriber rising 15.2% year-on-year to 14.8GB. Its active data-user base increased by 9.3% to 55.7 million during the period.
Airtel Nigeria similarly recorded strong growth, reporting total revenue of $501 million, representing a 50.4% year-on-year increase in reported currency and a 29.8% rise in constant currency.
Data remained Airtel’s largest growth driver, with revenue increasing 59.9% to $263 million in reported currency. Voice revenue also rose by 42.6% to $191 million.
The operator’s EBITDA grew by 58.4% to $293 million, while its EBITDA margin improved to 58.6%.
Airtel Nigeria’s total customer base rose by 12% to 60.1 million, while its data customers increased by 11% to 32.5 million.
The sector’s expansion reflects Nigerians’ increasing reliance on internet connectivity and digital services for communication, financial transactions, entertainment, business and access to online platforms.
In May 2026, the Nigerian Communications Commission said the country was consuming approximately 45,800 terabytes of data daily, underscoring the rapid growth in internet usage and the increasing importance of telecommunications infrastructure to Nigeria’s digital economy.
