9mobile, a major telecommunications provider in Nigeria, faced a further reduction in its customer base in September, as 7,127 subscribers switched to competing networks, according to recent data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Out of the total 7,886 outgoing porting recorded that month, 9mobile represented a striking 90% of users migrating to other operators, with MTN, Airtel, and Globacom accounting for the remaining 10%.
Despite the introduction of new management following its acquisition by LH Telecommunications Limited, 9mobile has yet to reverse its subscriber decline. Conversely, MTN, Nigeria’s largest network operator by subscriber count, saw a notable gain of 4,987 incoming customers, representing 63% of all incoming ported users in September. Airtel gained 2,205 customers, while Globacom received 664. 9mobile’s incoming subscribers numbered only 30, the lowest among the operators.
Overall, the NCC data highlights MTN’s leading market position, with 78 million active subscriptions as of September. Airtel followed with 53.7 million, while Globacom, having recently lost significant subscriptions, stood at 19 million. 9mobile’s active user base was down to just 3.6 million, reflecting months of subscriber losses.
According to NCC insights, customer migration is largely influenced by service quality and promotional offerings, with subscribers often switching for better call and data rates.