By Mercy Peter
No fewer than 28,173 subscribers left T2 mobile limited formerly 9mobile, between January and October 2025, NewsSpecng learnt.
This was contained in the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Mobile Number Portability allows subscribers to switch networks without changing their phone numbers, and the NCC’s monthly reports are widely regarded as a key indicator of consumer sentiment in the telecoms industry.
The data disclosed that between January and October 2025, a total of 28,173 subscribers ported out of T2, while only 87 ported into the network, pointing to sustained customer dissatisfaction despite the new brand identity.
NCC data showed that 2,725 subscribers ported out of T2 during the August to October (three-month period), while only 61 customers switched into the network, resulting in a net loss of 2,664 subscribers.
The breakdown showed that 1,111 users left the network in August, 724 in September, and 890 in October.
In October alone, T2 recorded 890 outgoing ports, compared with 289 for Airtel, 193 for Globacom, and 225 for MTN. Out of the 1,597 total subscribers who ported out across all networks that month, T2 accounted for more than half.
The NCC data show that 6,716 subscribers left the network in January, followed by 3,817 in February, 1,992 in March, 5,042 in April, 3,863 in May, and 3,372 in June.
Although the pace of exits slowed in the second half of the year, losses remained significant, with 646 subscribers leaving in July, 1,111 in August, 724 in September, and 890 in October.
Incoming porting figures showed that in October 2025, only 26 subscribers joined T2 from other networks, compared with 937 who moved to MTN, 357 to Airtel, and 277 to Globacom. September and August recorded just 20 and 15 incoming subscribers respectively.
In September 2025, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc also secured NCC approval to lease spectrum from T2 Mobile Limited. The agreement, effective from October 1, 2025, covers 5 MHz in the 900 MHz band and 15 MHz in the 1800 MHz band for an initial three-year period. MTN said the arrangement would help manage increased traffic arising from the national roaming agreement and support broader digital inclusion.
Despite these developments, NCC data show that T2 continued to record the highest level of outgoing porting among all operators throughout 2025.
In August 2025, 9mobile officially rebranded to T2 as part of a strategic effort to reposition the company, expand its market reach, and compete more effectively in Nigeria’s growing digital economy. The rebrand represented the “Transformation” phase of a four-stage recovery plan—Stabilisation, Modernisation, Transformation, and Growth—introduced after the 2023 acquisition of 9mobile by Lighthouse Telecoms, led by investor Thomas Etuh.
Since the takeover, the company has restructured its leadership and board, and in July 2025 signed a landmark three-year national roaming agreement with MTN Nigeria. The agreement allows T2 subscribers to roam seamlessly on MTN’s nationwide network, improving coverage and service quality in areas where T2’s infrastructure is limited.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, welcomed the rebrand but urged the company to back it with tangible service improvements.
“Let this rebrand be more than a change of colours or new logo,” Tijani said, calling for renewed commitment to innovation and service excellence.
