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That is how much flowed from people’s pockets into the hands of just two telecom giants — MTN and Airtel.
The spending increased by 50.9 percent compared to the same period in 2024, when subscribers spent N1.68 trillion.
According to the newly released half-year results, MTN Nigeria took the bigger share of the cash.
Between January and June 2025, MTN earned N2.12 trillion from voice and data services alone.
That is a huge jump from the N1.36 trillion it made in the same time last year.
The company said more Nigerians are now spending heavily on the internet, thanks to their growing number of smartphone users and better data offers.
MTN’s revenue from data increased by 69.2 percent to hit N1.23 trillion. Voice calls brought in N887.13 billion, rising by 40.3 percent.
More people are now browsing, working, and watching videos online, making data the new top-selling product in the telecom industry.
MTN’s active data subscribers increased by 11.8 percent to 51 million users.
The company’s total mobile user base also grew by 6.7 percent, now reaching 84.7 million people.
Each subscriber now uses about 13.2GB of data every month, thanks to the 62.6 percent smartphone rate and the 41.2 percent rise in internet traffic.
This improved performance helped MTN bounce back from the N519.1 billion loss it recorded in the first half of 2024.
Now, in 2025, the company posted a profit of N414.9 billion.
Its EBITDA more than doubled to N1.2 trillion, with a margin of 50.6 percent.
With that momentum, MTN has revised its full-year target. It now expects at least 50 percent growth in both revenue and profit.
Meanwhile, Airtel Nigeria also made massive gains in the same period.
The company reported N412.43 billion in revenue from voice and data in the first half of 2025.
That figure is 30.1 percent higher than the N316.94 billion it made in the same time in 2024.
Airtel’s data revenue increased by 40.2 percent to N226.98 billion. Voice calls brought in N185.46 billion, a 19.1 percent rise.
The company’s customer base is now 53.6 million, with 29.3 million people actively using data.
Average monthly data usage per user grew from 7.3GB to 9.3GB, while smartphone penetration rose to 51.4 percent.
Airtel’s EBITDA went up by 49.9 percent to \$185 million, and their profit margin also improved.
The company said strong customer demand and better cost control helped them grow fast despite currency problems earlier in the year.
Both MTN and Airtel said Nigeria’s improving economy helped them plan better.
Inflation dropped to 22.2 percent by June, and the naira became more stable at around N1,530 to the dollar.
MTN has also invested in a new data infrastructure.
In July, it launched the first phase of its US\$240 million Dabengwa Tier III Data Centre.
The centre is now the largest in West Africa and is expected to support more digital growth and cloud services.
MTN Nigeria CEO, Karl Toriola, said the company achieved all this through smart planning and investments in customer satisfaction.
He said over 3.3 million new people joined MTN’s data network in the first half of the year, leading to a 41.2 percent increase in traffic.
On the other hand, Airtel Africa announced a big partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink.
They want to use satellite technology to deliver internet access to remote parts of Nigeria and other African countries.
This means places like rural schools, health centres, and villages will soon get faster internet services.
Starlink already has licences in 9 out of 14 countries in Airtel’s network. The rest are still being processed.
This latest move is expected to push more people online, especially in areas where there are no mobile towers.
Telecoms are now earning big in Nigeria.
But the question people are asking is this: if Nigerians are spending N2.53 trillion in just six months, what are they getting in return?
In a time when the cost of living is rising and food prices are high, many feel telecom services should be more affordable.
Yet, most Nigerians continue to buy data and airtime because their lives, work, and even survival now depend on it.
It is clear that mobile networks have become one of the most powerful businesses in Nigeria today.
Whether for watching videos, running online businesses, or even looking for jobs, Nigerians are now spending more on data than ever before.
And with the second half of 2025 still ahead, it is possible that another N2 trillion will be spent before December.
That is the new reality.
And it may not change anytime soon.
