Globacom recorded the biggest monthly increase in internet subscribers among Nigeria’s major telecommunications operators in May, adding about 1.3 million users as competition for the country’s growing digital market continued.
Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), cited by Globacom, showed that the operator’s internet subscriber base climbed from approximately 15.5 million in April to 16.8 million in May.
The increase came as Nigeria’s overall internet subscriber base expanded by about 2.67 million during the same period, rising from roughly 154.3 million to 157 million.
Globacom therefore accounted for nearly half of the industry’s net increase in internet subscriptions for the month.
Airtel Nigeria followed with approximately 1.07 million additional subscribers, while MTN Nigeria recorded an increase of 382,894 use.
Globacom attributed its performance to continued investment in network modernisation and infrastructure expansion, saying the upgrades were aimed at improving data services and extending digital connectivity for customers.
The company announced the figures as part of activities marking its 23rd anniversary in Lagos, where it combined the milestone with the introduction of new digital and telecom offerings.
It also launched a corporate advocacy campaign, “Never Settle for Less,” alongside four products and service upgrades: Welcome Bonus, Talkmasta Reloaded, Magic Data Bundles and Glo Café 3.0.
The enhanced Welcome Bonus is aimed at new customers who purchase and activate a Glo SIM.
Under the offer, qualifying subscribers receive benefits valued at N2,100, including 20 minutes of calls to all networks, 2GB of data and a one-month GloTV Premium subscription.
The operator has also revamped its Talkmasta “6 for 6” offer. Subscribers receive six free call minutes and 100MB of data for every six minutes of calls made under the offer.
Another addition is the Magic Data Bundle, which combines a guaranteed data allocation with an extra bonus depending on the bundle selected.
The bundles are priced at N1,600 and N3,500, with eligible customers able to receive between 500MB and 12GB in bonus data.
Customers can access the bundles through the Glo Café application or by dialling *312#.
Perhaps the more technology-focused addition to the company’s latest product rollout is Glo Café 3.0, an upgraded version of its self-service application.
The redesigned app introduces additional security and payment features, as well as an artificial intelligence-powered assistant named Gloria.
According to Globacom, Gloria is designed to interact with customers through both voice and text, allowing users to ask questions and discover available offers.
The AI assistant supports English, Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, French and Spanish, giving the platform a multilingual approach to customer support.
The introduction reflects the growing use of artificial intelligence in customer-facing digital services, particularly as telecom operators handle large numbers of customer enquiries and service requests.
The May figures also highlight the continued expansion of internet usage in Nigeria. With the country’s total internet subscriber base reaching approximately 157 million, telecommunications networks remain a major gateway through which Nigerians access online services, entertainment, financial platforms, social media and other digital products.
For operators, the growth also makes network capacity and service quality increasingly important as more customers depend on mobile data.
Globacom’s latest subscriber performance, therefore, comes alongside its push to modernise its network and introduce additional digital services through its mobile platform.
The combination of infrastructure investment, data promotions and AI-enabled customer support shows how telecom competition is moving beyond simply attracting subscribers.
As Nigeria’s internet population grows, operators are increasingly competing on the quality of their networks, the value of their data offerings and the technology built around the customer experience.
