9mobile’s Market Share Hits Historic Low Amid Stagnant Growth

9mobile, Nigeria’s fourth-largest telecom operator, has seen its market share plunge to an all-time low of 1.99%, with its subscriber base stagnating at 3.2 million for two consecutive months, according to the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC).

This marks a drastic decline from its peak in 2015, when the company—then Etisalat Nigeria—held a 15.7% market share with 23.4 million subscribers.

Other Telecom Operators Are Growing—9mobile Is Not

MTN Nigeria (Market Leader):

  • Increased market share to 51%
  • Subscribers rose from 81.2 million in November to 84.6 million in December

Airtel Nigeria:

  • Grew subscriber base to 56.6 million (from 55.4 million in November)

Globacom:

  • Recovered from regulatory issues, growing from 19.6 million to 20.1 million subscribers

9mobile:

  • Only major operator that didn’t grow in 2024

This stagnation raises concerns about 9mobile’s declining competitiveness in the Nigerian telecom industry.

New Ownership, But No Capital Injection Yet

In July 2024, Light House Telecom acquired a 95% stake in 9mobile for $750 million. Since then, the company has:

Appointed a new CEO and COO

Reshuffled department heads

Yet to inject fresh capital into network expansion & maintenance

A telecom executive close to the matter revealed:

“The funding is still not clear. The new buyer has not done anything—no new deployment, no maintenance. They may start putting in money now that the tariffs have increased.”

Challenges & What 9mobile Needs to Do to Survive

Network Upgrade & Expansion – 9mobile must modernize its infrastructure to compete with MTN, Airtel, and Globacom.

Aggressive Customer Acquisition – The telco needs new marketing and pricing strategies to attract and retain subscribers.

Competitive Pricing & Bundles – With inflation affecting consumer spending, 9mobile must offer cost-effective packages.

Capital Investment – Without new funds, 9mobile risks falling further behind competitors who continue expanding.

Is There a Path to Recovery?

9mobile’s survival depends on strategic investments and a clear turnaround plan from Light House Telecom. Without urgent intervention, the once-dominant operator risks fading into obscurity as rivals continue to grow.

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