Nigeria's telecommunications landscape is facing a significant upheaval as T2, the company formerly known as 9mobile, struggles to retain its customer base. Despite a high-profile rebranding exercise and strategic partnerships, the latest figures from the industry regulator paint a picture of persistent decline.
NCC Data Reveals Alarming Exodus
According to the most recent Mobile Number Portability (MNP) statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), T2 suffered a net loss of 2,664 subscribers in just three months between August and October 2025. The data shows that 2,725 customers ported out of the network during this period, while a mere 61 ported in.
The monthly breakdown is particularly concerning. In August 2025, 1,111 subscribers left T2. This was followed by 724 exits in September and another 890 in October. The October numbers were especially damaging, with T2 accounting for more than half of all outgoing porting activity across Nigeria's major telecom networks that month.
A Year of Consistent Customer Attrition
The problem for T2 is not a new one but a trend that has defined its entire year. NCC data tracks a relentless outflow of customers since January 2025. The company witnessed a staggering 6,716 subscriber exits in January alone, followed by 3,817 in February and 1,992 in March.
Losses surged again to 5,042 in April before moderating slightly to 3,863 in May and 3,372 in June. While the pace slowed in the second half of the year, the outflow remained significant. Cumulatively, from January to October 2025, a total of 28,173 subscribers ported out of T2.
The story of incoming subscribers is even bleaker. In the entire ten-month period from January to October, only 87 new customers ported into the T2 network. For context, in October alone, MTN Nigeria gained 937 new port-ins, Airtel gained 357, and Globacom gained 277, while T2 managed to attract only 26.
Rebrand and Recovery Plan Failing to Gain Traction
This sustained decline comes despite major corporate efforts to turn the tide. In August 2025, 9mobile officially rebranded to T2. This change was a key part of a four-phase recovery plan initiated after the company's 2023 acquisition by Lighthouse Telecoms, led by investor Thomas Etuh.
The ambitious plan includes Stabilisation, Modernisation, Transformation, and Growth phases. The company also overhauled its leadership, reconstituted its board, and signed a landmark three-year national roaming agreement with MTN Nigeria. This deal allows T2 subscribers to access MTN's extensive network, theoretically improving service quality.
In a further collaboration, MTN Nigeria secured NCC approval in September 2025 to lease spectrum from T2, a move tied to their roaming pact. Communications Minister Bosun Tijani publicly welcomed the rebrand but urged the company to back the new name with tangible service improvements, emphasizing that Nigerians rely on dependable telecom services.
However, the hard numbers from the NCC suggest that these strategic moves have yet to restore consumer confidence. For many subscribers, the new T2 brand has not addressed long-standing issues related to service quality and reliability, leading them to seek alternatives from more stable competitors.
The ongoing subscriber hemorrhage underscores the severe challenges facing T2 as it attempts to reposition itself in Nigeria's highly competitive telecom market, where customer loyalty is heavily dependent on consistent network performance.
