MTN has moved from the most impacted by porting to being the least affected

Key takeaways

  • 9mobile lost the most customers to porting in 2024, with 44.7k subscribers switching to other networks.
  • MTN, once the most affected by porting, now has the lowest losses at just 2.7k customers in 2024.
  • Airtel and Globacom had minimal losses in 2024, with 4.2k and 3.8k customers leaving respectively.
  • MTN previously saw massive porting losses, peaking at 125.5k in 2015, but has since improved drastically.
  • Porting losses have declined across all networks over time, except for 9mobile, which has seen a recent spike.

9mobile faced the highest number of porting losses in 2024, with 44.7k customers leaving for other networks. Meanwhile, MTN, which once suffered the most from porting losses, has now become the least affected, losing only 2.7k customers in the same year. Airtel and Globacom also experienced relatively small losses.

The sharp decline in MTN's porting losses suggests improved customer satisfaction or stronger retention strategies. In contrast, 9mobile’s struggles highlight service issues driving users away. Even as porting activity continues to decline, telecom providers must focus on improving network quality and customer loyalty.

Source:

Nigerian Communications Commission

Period:

2013-2024
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In 2025, 9mobile only added 1-3 new members each month through porting, compared to a peak of 324 in 2022, representing an almost 100% reduction
Key Takeaways:
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  • Monthly port-in numbers have been progressively dropping, from a three-digit to a single-digit level by 2025.
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As of 2025, MTN and Airtel jointly control over 85% of the market share, whereas Globacom controls 12%, and 9mobile has control over less than 2% of the market
Key takeaways:
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Key Takeaways:
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  • The number of subscribers transferring out decreased dramatically between September 2024 and December 2024, before peaking again in January 2025.
  • Monthly port-outs rose from 323 in June 2021 to 7,127 in September 2024, an approximately 2,107% increase.
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