Nigeria’s telecommunications and information services sector powered ahead in the second quarter of 2026, contributing a robust N5.20 trillion to real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on the back of soaring data consumption and stronger performances by leading operators.
According to the latest National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) GDP report, the sector expanded by 10.38 per cent year-on-year in real terms — a clear acceleration from the 7.39 per cent growth recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2025. Its share of real GDP climbed to 9.72 per cent from 9.20 per cent a year earlier, securing its position as the fourth-largest individual contributor to Nigeria’s real economic output during the period.
The telecoms segment significantly outperformed the wider economy, which grew by 4.43 per cent year-on-year in real terms in Q2 2026, up modestly from 4.23 per cent in Q2 2025.
At the broader industry level, the Information and Communication sector — encompassing telecommunications and information services, broadcasting, motion pictures, sound recording and music production, and publishing — recorded 9.62 per cent real growth. Its contribution to real GDP rose to 11.74 per cent, compared with 11.18 per cent in Q2 2025 and 11.31 per cent in the first quarter of 2026.
In nominal terms, the sector generated N14.64 trillion, accounting for 12.27 per cent of aggregate nominal GDP — a sharp rise from N10.07 trillion (or 10 per cent) in the same quarter of 2025. Nominal growth accelerated to an impressive 45.32 per cent year-on-year.
The strong showing was driven by heightened demand for data and improved financial results from major mobile network operators, particularly MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria.
MTN Nigeria posted N1.09 trillion in profit before tax in the first half of 2026, a 75.4 per cent jump from the previous year. The company attributed the gains to stronger data demand, improved operational efficiency and lower borrowing costs. Average monthly data usage per subscriber rose 15.2 per cent year-on-year to 14.8 gigabytes, while its active data-user base expanded 9.3 per cent to 55.7 million.
Airtel Nigeria also delivered solid growth, with revenue climbing 50.4 per cent year-on-year in reported currency to $501 million. Data revenue surged 59.9 per cent to $263 million, while voice revenue increased 42.6 per cent to $191 million. The operator’s customer base grew 12 per cent to 60.1 million, and data customers rose 11 per cent to 32.5 million.
These gains reflect Nigerians’ deepening reliance on digital services. In May 2026, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reported that the country was consuming approximately 45,800 terabytes of data daily, highlighting the rapid expansion of internet usage. Network investment has remained a key enabler, with operators ploughing more than N2.5 trillion into infrastructure in 2025, according to the NCC.
Other segments within Information and Communication also posted positive results. Broadcasting generated N762.29 billion in real output (1.43 per cent of real GDP) and grew 4.98 per cent year-on-year, up from 2.78 per cent in Q2 2025. Motion pictures, sound recording and music production contributed N305.60 billion (0.57 per cent of real GDP), with growth accelerating to 9.15 per cent from 4.07 per cent a year earlier. Publishing added N8.55 billion (0.02 per cent of real GDP) and recorded 1.90 per cent real growth.
Overall, the figures highlight the rising strategic importance of telecommunications to Nigeria’s economy. The sector is expanding at more than twice the pace of the broader economy and generated over N5 trillion in real output in a single quarter, underscoring its role as a key engine of growth in an increasingly digital nation.
