Nigeria recorded an increased growth in voice and internet subscriptions in its Telecom industry, notching 0.46 percent and 0.57 percent respectively in November.
The data contained in the latest statistical report of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) after an adjustment that is based on the country’s population of 216,783,381, shows that the November data was an improvement on the October report during which the two components recorded 0.19 per cent and 0.60 per cent respectively
The NCC in a statement by Reuben Muoka, its Director of Public Affairs noted that Nigeria witnessed a steady increase in active voice and internet subscriptions from September to November 2023, including a drop in teledensity after an adjustment which reflects the latest population growth figures from the National Population Commission (NPC) in line with international best practices. NCC had until now, used the 2017 projection of 190 million people as its basis.
The new adjustment based on the NPC’s projection of Nigeria’s population of 216,783,381 as of 2022, shows that the active voice subscription statistics witnessed a marginal growth from 220,361,186 to 221,769,883 as of September 2023. In addition, Internet subscriptions also enjoyed a marginal growth, from 159,034,717 in August 2023 to 160,171,757 in September 2023.
With the consequential adjustment, which is in line with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)’s calculation of teledensity, the nation’s teledensity dropped from 115.63 percent to 102.30 percent in September, while Broadband penetration witnessed a similar drop from 45.47 percent to 40.85 percent in the same month. However,
The teledensity in October was 102.49 percent and also at 102.97 percent in November 2023.
Teledensity is an index prescribed by the International Telecommunications Union, ITU, for the measurement of telephone penetration in a population by a factor of one line per 100 individuals in the population.
Mouka explained that the adjustment by the Commission is consistent with Section 89 Subsection 3(d) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 (NCA 2003), in which the Commission is mandated to monitor and report on the state of the Nigerian telecommunications industry, provide statistical analysis and identify industry trends concerning services, tariffs, operators, technology, subscribers, and issues of competition.
Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Aminu Maida, affirmed the nation’s telecom statistical adjustment process as an appropriate step to maintain the integrity of data about the Nigerian telecom industry as collected, collated, and published by the Commission.
“This also ensures the accurate measurement of the Commission’s progress towards attaining increased broadband penetration rates, improved quality of service, and increased population coverage, among other targets set out in the Strategic Plan for the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy”, noted Maida who stated that such data provides information for both the International Telecommunications Union to which Nigeria belongs, and other development agencies as well as the operators, investors, multilateral agencies, and the public.
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