Mobile number portability (MNP) in Nigeria saw a significant surge of 190% in January 2025, with 8,708 subscribers switching networks, up from 2,998 in December 2024, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
9mobile experienced the highest customer losses, with 6,716 subscribers leaving for competitors. Once a major player in the market, 9mobile’s subscriber base has remained stagnant at 3.2 million for three months, a drastic decline from its peak of 23.4 million in 2015, when it held a 15.7% market share. Despite the increase in porting activity, 9mobile only gained seven new customers through porting in January.
The surge in porting activity is largely driven by dissatisfaction with service quality, pricing, and network issues, prompting users to seek better alternatives. As a result, MTN, Airtel, and Globacom have seen positive results from the trend. MTN gained 5,551 new subscribers through porting while losing 1,188. Airtel added 2,414 customers and lost 399, and Globacom recorded 736 incoming subscribers and 405 outgoing ones.
This rise in porting can be attributed to factors such as poor network quality, competitive pricing, and improved customer service from rival operators. The NCC’s enforcement of the National Identification Number-SIM linkage also played a role in market shifts, as some users who were initially affected are now returning to different networks.
In addition to the rise in porting, the telecom sector saw a significant rebound in January 2025, with active mobile subscriptions increasing from 164.9 million in December 2024 to 169.3 million. MTN added 2.9 million new subscribers, bringing its total to 87.5 million. Airtel also saw growth, rising from 56.6 million to 57.6 million subscribers. Globacom, which had faced subscriber losses due to regulatory audits, grew slightly from 20.1 million to 20.5 million users. However, 9mobile continued to struggle, with its subscriber base stagnant at 3.2 million for the third consecutive month.
