By Milcah Tanimu
Telecommunications provider 9mobile reported a significant loss of subscribers in September, as 7,127 users switched to competing networks. Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) reveals that 9mobile accounted for 90% of the total 7,886 outgoing porting requests, with the remaining 10% shared among MTN, Airtel, and Globacom. This customer loss follows 9mobile’s recent acquisition by LH Telecommunications Limited, which appointed a new board and leadership team to stabilize the company.
Incoming Porting Trends
While 9mobile faced high outgoing porting, MTN gained the majority of incoming porting, adding 4,987 new subscribers from other networks, making up 63% of total incoming porting. Airtel followed with 2,205 new users, and Globacom gained 664. In contrast, 9mobile recorded just 30 incoming subscribers during the month.
Current Subscriber Base and Industry Position
As of September, 9mobile’s subscriber base dropped to 3.6 million, reflecting a consistent decline in market share. Meanwhile, MTN maintained its lead with 78 million active subscriptions, followed by Airtel’s 53.7 million and Globacom’s 19 million.
Reasons for Subscriber Porting
NCC cites multiple reasons for subscriber porting, including service quality and competitive promotional rates offered by other networks.
What to Know about 9mobile’s Recent Acquisition
In July, LH Telecommunications Limited acquired a majority stake in 9mobile, with approval from the NCC, FCCPC, and AFREXIM. The new board, led by Chairman Thomas Etuh, aims to revitalize the company’s market position and attract more customers back to the network.
