Nigeria’s telecoms industry has been hit by a wave of high customer hopping, with tens of thousands of subscribers switching networks in search of better coverage, faster internet speeds, and more competitive pricing.
Fresh data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which tracked inward and outward porting activity between January to June 2025, reveal the fierce competition for customers in an industry where service quality, coverage and pricing are under constant public scrutiny.
The NCC’s Mobile Number Portability (MNP) database shows January as the most active month for hopping or churn, with 17,416 porting transactions evenly split between inward and outward movements (8,708 each). April followed closely with 13,578 ports, while March recorded the lowest activity at 6,128. February had 9,716 ports, May recorded 9,872, and June closed the half-year period at 8,218.
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On the winning side, MTN Nigeria consistently attracted the highest number of inbound customers via porting. The operator began the year strongly with 5,551 new subscribers in January and maintained a clear lead throughout the half-year period, even during slower months.
Although its inward figures dipped to 1,956 in March, MTN recovered to 2,445 in June, reflecting an ability to attract customers steadily regardless of seasonal fluctuations.
Airtel followed with respectable inward gains, beginning at 2,414 in January and ending at 1,158 in June. However, Airtel’s gains were less stable, with a sharp drop to 758 in March before rebounding in subsequent months.
Globacom displayed a more volatile pattern. Its best month was April, with 966 inward ports, while March marked a low point at 348.
9mobile, now rebranded as T2, fared the worst, registering single-digit inward gains in most months. Its best performance was just seven inbound ports in January, while February saw only one new customer acquired via porting. This inability to attract migrating customers highlights its acute competitive challenges.
Outward porting: the losers
The outward migration data paint a mirror image of the inward trends. 9mobile/T2 recorded the heaviest losses, starting the year with 6,716 customers leaving in January and posted 5,042 in April and 3,372 in June. These consistent outflows dwarf its minimal inbound numbers, meaning the brand suffered severe net losses every month.
Globacom also saw substantial churn, most notably in April when 1,233 customers left its network. While its losses were far smaller than T2’s, they often outweighed its gains from inward ports, leading to a modest net decline overall.
Airtel’s outward migration was moderate by comparison, ranging from a low of 250 in June to a high of 473 in May. While these losses were not catastrophic, they still ate into Airtel’s net growth.
MTN once again emerged as the retention leader. Outward migrations dropped from 2,268 in January to just 176 in June, meaning that MTN attracted more new customers via porting but also lost fewer subscribers than any other operator. This balance gives MTN a consistent net positive porting position, bolstering its already dominant 52 percent market share.
What the trends reveal
The combined inward and outward data show a market where MTN is both the biggest gainer and the best at keeping its customers, giving it a significant competitive edge. Airtel is a strong second in attracting customers but needs to improve retention to maximise growth. Globacom’s performance is inconsistent, with occasional wins offset by frequent losses. T2 is the clear laggard, hemorrhaging customers with little offset from inward migrations.
Analysts say the data underscores the fragility of customer loyalty in a mature telecom market. “When almost 35,000 people switch networks in just six months, it tells you that consumers are actively seeking better deals and services. It is a warning to operators that no customer is permanently loyal,” Jide Awe, a telecom analyst.
The 9mobile–MTN network sharing partnership
For T2 (formerly 9mobile), the heavy outward losses have sharpened the urgency of its turnaround strategy. Once a powerhouse with over 23 million subscribers in 2015, the company’s base has shrunk to just 2.4 million by mid-2025. In response, T2 has embarked on a high-stakes rebranding effort and secured a landmark infrastructure-sharing deal with MTN.
Under the NCC-approved agreement, T2 will gain access to MTN’s extensive radio access network (RAN) infrastructure across Nigeria, allowing it to offer far wider coverage without the heavy capital expenditure of building its own towers and transmission systems. While T2 will continue to operate its own core network and manage customer-facing services, the partnership means its mobile signals in many areas will be carried by MTN’s physical infrastructure.
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The arrangement, fully rolled out nationwide, could significantly improve T2’s call quality, data speeds, and rural coverage. If successful, it might slow or even reverse the massive outward migration recorded in H1 2025.
With MTN commanding 52 percent of the market and Airtel holding 34.38 percent, the remaining 13.62 percent is shared between Globacom (12.18 percent) and T2 (1.44 percent). In such a skewed landscape, smaller players will need to innovate aggressively to remain relevant, experts say.
“The second half of 2025 could see even more aggressive competition. With churn levels this high, operators are likely to deploy a mix of promotions, bundled services, loyalty schemes, and targeted rural expansion to capture and keep customers. The winners will be those who can pair competitive pricing with consistent service quality,” Awe noted.
