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(This article first appeared on BizCommunity)
Written by Emma Okonji
Despite the slow broadband penetration in the country, Nigeria still has a steady and impressive growth rate in mobile internet penetration, according to recent statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The statistics, which was posted on the NCC’s website, showed that as at May 2015, the total mobile internet penetration across GSM operators’ networks was 88,136,580, which was an improvement from the previous months.
As at January this year, mobile internet penetration was 81,891,840; and in February this same year, the figure rose to 83,209,380. In March this year, the figure also climbed to 85,315,094. As at April this year, the figure rose again to 86,904,705, before hitting the 88 million mark in May this year. Industry sources, however said the figure must have exceeded 100 million currently, giving its steady growth rate, since January this year.
A breakdown of the over 88 million mobile internet subscriptions, showed that over 40 million subscribers on the MTN network, were connected to the internet, via their mobile devices, while over 19 million subscribers on the Globacom’s network, were connected to the internet, via their mobile devices, which included mobile phones and tablets.
Airtel has over 17 million connected subscribers to the internet on its network, while Etisalat has over 10 million connected subscribers to the internet, via mobile devices.
The steady growth rate recorded in mobile internet penetration in Nigeria has no doubt, enhanced telecoms’ percentage contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which was put at 8.5 per cent, representing an increase from the 7.6 per cent in 2014.
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