Rebrand Fails to Stem the Tide as Subscribers Continue to Dump T2 in Droves
- T2, formerly 9mobile, faces severe subscriber losses following its rebrand, with 2,664 net exits in just three months
- Despite new collaborations and a recovery plan, T2 struggles to attract customers, with only 87 porting in this year
- NCC data reveals T2 has led the industry in customer attrition, undermining efforts to restore consumer confidence
Nigeria’s telecoms sector is witnessing a deepening crisis at T2, formerly known as 9mobile, as fresh data show that the company continues to lose subscribers months after its much-publicised rebrand.
Instead of reversing years of decline, the name change appears to have done little to calm frustrated customers.
Source: UGC
According to the latest Mobile Number Portability (MNP) figures released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), about 2,725 subscribers dumped T2 between August and October 2025.
During the same period, only 61 customers moved into the network, leaving it with a net loss of 2,664 subscribers in just three months.
October exits put T2 far ahead of rivals
The data show that the pace of exits remains alarming. In August 2025, 1,111 subscribers ported out of T2. This was followed by 724 in September and another 890 in October.
October was particularly damaging. While 890 subscribers exited T2 that month, only 289 left Airtel, 193 left Globacom, and 225 left MTN.
Out of the 1,597 total subscribers who ported out of all networks in October, T2 alone accounted for more than half of the exits, underlining the scale of its customer attrition.
A year defined by persistent customer losses
The trend has been consistent since the start of 2025. NCC data show that outgoing porting placed T2 far ahead of other operators throughout the year.
As many as 6,716 subscribers left in January, followed by 3,817 in February and 1,992 in March.
The losses surged again in April with 5,042 exits, before moderating slightly to 3,863 in May and 3,372 in June.
Although the numbers slowed in the second half of the year, the outflow remained significant, with 646 subscribers leaving in July, followed by steady losses through October.
Altogether, between January and October 2025, 28,173 subscribers ported out of T2.
Incoming numbers tell an even bleaker story
While thousands left, only a trickle joined. Between January and October, just 87 subscribers ported into T2.
In October alone, only 26 customers joined the network, compared with 937 new port-ins for MTN, 357 for Airtel, and 277 for Globacom.
August and September recorded just 15 and 20 incoming subscribers respectively, highlighting weak consumer confidence in the brand.
Rebrand, recovery plan and high-level backing
In August 2025, 9mobile officially rebranded to T2 as part of a four-phase recovery plan introduced after its 2023 acquisition by Lighthouse Telecoms, led by investor Thomas Etuh.
The phases include Stabilisation, Modernisation, Transformation, and Growth.
The company also overhauled its leadership, reconstituted its board, and signed a landmark three-year national roaming agreement with MTN Nigeria.
The roaming deal allows T2 subscribers to access MTN’s nationwide network, improving coverage and service quality in areas where T2 infrastructure is limited.
Communications Minister Bosun Tijani welcomed the rebrand but urged the company to back it with real service improvements, stressing that Nigerians depend on reliable telecom services for daily life and business.
Collaboration grows, but subscribers still walk away
In September 2025, MTN Nigeria secured NCC approval to lease spectrum from T2, a move tied to the roaming agreement and aimed at boosting capacity and digital inclusion.
Despite these collaborations, NCC data show that T2 continued to lead the industry in outgoing porting throughout the year.
Source: UGC
For many subscribers, the figures suggest that a new name alone has not been enough to fix long-standing service and trust issues, as the operator’s customer base continues to shrink.
Full breakdown of MTN’s new data prices, plans
Legit.ng earlier reported that MTN, one of Nigeria's leading telecommunications companies has announced an increase to its data tariff following the approval received from the Nigerian Communications Commission.
The changes affected various plans which include daily, weekly and monthly.
Recall that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently approved a 50% hike in tariffs for telecom services, the first in over a decade.
Source: Legit.ng
