Nigeria’s mobile operator, 9mobile, is facing challenges. The 9mobile subscriber decline has been significant, with 6,079 customers lost in just two months.
According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) report on porting activities, the operator’s market share continues to shrink.
How Bad is the Decline?
The NCC report shows that in November 2024, 9mobile lost 3,891 subscribers through porting activities. This accounted for the majority of the 4,726 total outgoing porting activities recorded.
In comparison, MTN lost only 166 customers, Airtel recorded 362 outgoing porting activities, and Globacom lost 307 subscribers.
The 9mobile subscriber decline continued into December 2024, with another 2,188 customers leaving the network. Competitors also experienced outgoing porting but on a much smaller scale.
Incoming Porting: A Different Story
For incoming porting activities in November 2024, MTN gained the most subscribers (3,019). Airtel followed with 1,266 gains, while Globacom added 414 customers.
Unfortunately, 9mobile recorded only 27 new subscribers that month. The trend worsened in December 2024, with 9mobile gaining just 17 new subscribers, compared to MTN’s 1,856 and Airtel’s 835.
The 9mobile subscriber decline has impacted its market share, which dropped to 1.9% in December 2024. This marks a sharp fall from its 15.7% share in 2015 when the company had a subscriber base of 23.4 million.
Currently, 9mobile’s subscriber base remains stagnant at 3.2 million, while competitors like MTN, Airtel, and Globacom show growth.
- MTN now holds 51% market share with 84.6 million subscribers.
- Airtel’s subscriber base grew to 56.6 million in December 2024.
- Globacom added new customers, increasing its base from 19.6 million to 20.1 million.
What Lies Ahead for 9mobile?
The competitive telecom market in Nigeria poses challenges for 9mobile. The operator must address issues like network reliability and customer retention. Without significant changes, the 9mobile subscriber decline may worsen.
