Here is how telcos’ internet speed performed in 2024

The Nigerian internet space significantly improved in 2024, with increases in 4G and 5G penetrations. This translated to higher internet speed, and according to nPerf, a French firm that measures the internet speed of networks globally, MTN Nigeria led the telecommunication market segment in Nigeria.

To get the operators’ internet performance, nPerf said it utilised extensive tests conducted during busy hours (6 PM to 11 PM) and idle hours, ensuring a comprehensive analysis of user experiences.

“Busy hours, marked by network strain, can impact user experience through congestion. This approach helps in understanding how network performance fluctuates throughout the day,” it explained.

“In 2024, the mobile market in Nigeria saw significant developments. The leader for this period is MTN, maintaining its position as the global winner,” nPerf said.

According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), there were 134.28 million mobile internet subscriptions in the country as of October 2024.

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According to nPerf, MTN, with 69.53 million mobile internet subscriptions, showed impressive advancements across download speed, upload speed, latency, video streaming, and 4G. The telco recorded an average download speed of 17.82 Mb/s.

In its nine-month result for the period ending September 2024, MTNN noted that these improvements have led to a 52.3 percent year-on-year growth in data revenue. “The growing demand for digital services, social media, and streaming content has been crucial in driving data consumption. As a result, the average data usage per customer increased by 31.2 percent, reaching 11.2 GB, while overall data traffic grew by 42.1 percent,” it said.

nPerf noted that Airtel, with 45.48 million mobile internet subscriptions, is in second place, demonstrating excellence in browsing and video streaming categories. It recorded an average download speed of 9.98 Mb/s.

“The operator’s contributions are vital to the market’s competitiveness, and its focus on enhancing user experience is evident,” it said. This translated to a data average revenue per user growth of 30.5 percent, which the telco disclosed in its result for the period ended September 2024.

“Data usage per customer increased by 36.0 percent to 8.1 GB per month (from 5.9 GB in the prior period), with smartphone penetration increasing 6.2 percent to reach 48.5 percent. Smartphone data usage per customer reached 10.9 GB per month compared to 8.6 GB per month in the prior period,” it added.

The French firm further stated that Globacom, with 17.11 million mobile subscriptions, is making steady progress with notable improvements in its overall score. “Glo has shown improvements in various areas, contributing positively to the market’s dynamics,” it said.

Glo recorded an average download speed of 5.66 Mb/s. nPerf noted that it didn’t grade 9mobile because it only included “national Internet service providers with test share above 5 percent share.”