Telecom operator 9mobile, rebranded recently as T2, recorded a notable uptick in new subscribers in July 2025, marking its first growth spurt this year. This positive turnaround follows the implementation of an infrastructure sharing agreement with MTN Nigeria.
After months of subscriber losses, 9mobile experienced a fresh increase, adding 290,601 new customers in July alone. This boost was driven largely by the collaboration with MTN, Nigeria’s largest mobile network operator, allowing 9mobile users to access MTN’s expansive network where 9mobile’s service was previously weak or unavailable.
The national roaming pact, approved earlier in July by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), enables subscribers of 9mobile to make calls, send texts, and enjoy data connectivity seamlessly across MTN’s infrastructure nationwide. By leveraging MTN’s well-established network, 9mobile avoided the high capital costs of expanding its own towers and infrastructure, turning this collaboration into a major boon for its operational viability.
While 9mobile gained subscribers, overall active mobile subscriptions in Nigeria fell slightly, dropping from 171.5 million in June to 169.1 million in July 2025. The losses came primarily from competitors Airtel, MTN, and Globacom. Airtel, in particular, saw a steep decline of 2.4 million subscribers in the same period. Despite this, MTN maintained dominance with over half the market share, closely followed by Airtel, while 9mobile held a smaller, but now improving, position.
Obafemi Banigbe applauded the leadership of the NCC and Minister Dr. Bosun Tijani for supporting a consumer-focused and resource-efficient telecom ecosystem.
The infrastructure sharing agreement marks a step toward wider network inclusion and improved service quality in Nigeria’s telecommunications market.
