9mobile faces major subscriber loss as customers migrate to other networks

Nigeria’s fourth-largest telecom provider, 9mobile, is struggling with a significant drop in its subscriber base, losing 6,079 customers in just two months.

According to a report by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the mass exit happened in November and December 2024.

The report, published on the NCC’s website, showed that out of 2,998 subscribers who switched networks in December, 2,188 left 9mobile. Similarly, in November, 4,726 subscribers ported, with 3,891 leaving 9mobile for rival networks.

This makes 9mobile the biggest loser in number portability, as the report highlighted that other networks recorded much lower outgoing porting numbers.

9mobile’s Losses Compared to Competitors

In December 2024, while 9mobile lost 2,188 subscribers:

MTN lost only 236,

Airtel recorded 269 outgoing porting,

Globacom lost 305.

Meanwhile, in terms of subscribers switching into networks, MTN gained the highest with 1,856 new customers. Airtel received 835, while Globacom gained 290. However, 9mobile recorded just 17 new subscribers.

A similar trend was observed in November, with MTN attracting 3,019 new users, Airtel getting 1,266, and Globacom welcoming 414. In contrast, 9mobile gained only 27 new subscribers.

Declining Market Share

The report also revealed a worrying drop in 9mobile’s market share, which shrank to 1.9% in December 2024. This is a sharp decline from its former glory in 2015 when it held 15.7% of the market with 23.4 million subscribers. The company’s subscriber base has now remained stagnant at 3.2 million for two consecutive months.

While 9mobile struggles, its competitors continue to grow. MTN’s market share increased to 51% with 84.6 million subscribers in December, up from 81.2 million in November. Airtel also expanded, growing from 55.4 million to 56.6 million subscribers. Globacom, which had earlier suffered a decline due to regulatory issues, managed to recover slightly, increasing its subscriber base from 19.6 million to 20.1 million by the end of 2024.

The continued loss of subscribers raises concerns about 9mobile’s future in Nigeria’s highly competitive telecom market.