9mobile's subscriber base declined from a peak of 23.5 million in September 2015 to less than 3 million by April 2025, representing an 87.4% loss

Key takeaways:

  • In September 2015, 9mobile had a peak subscriber base of 23.49 million.
  • After reaching that peak, its subscriber base fell steadily in late 2015.
  • The most drastic reduction happened between February and April 2024, with nearly 5 million customers lost in just three months.
  • 9mobile has lost more than 20 million customers since its peak in September 2015.
  • More than 10 million subscribers were lost between January and April 2025 (>78%).
  • 9mobile customers increased significantly until 2015, then steadily declined, with a steep reduction after 2023.
  • The subscriber base was mostly steady from January 2020 to February 2024.

Between 2014 and 2015, 9mobile saw strong subscriber growth, reaching approximately 23.5 million in September 2015. However, its customer base has been on a decreasing trend since late 2015, with a brief and temporary recovery in late 2018 before continuing its downward trend in mid-2019.

From late 2019, the company's customer base stabilised until January 2024, when it began declining drastically from 13.8 million to less than 3 million by April 2025, representing an 87% loss in just over a year.

This massive loss could be attributed to ongoing service issues, poor customer experience, or competitive pressure from its competitors.

Source:

Nigerian Communications Commission

Period:

May 2014 - April 2025
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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:
  • In June 2022, 9mobile recorded a peak of 324 port-ins.
  • The lowest port-in figure during the period was recorded in February 2025, with only one subscriber.
  • In June 2021, 9mobile received 191 new ported-in users, which decreased to 3 by April 2025.
  • Monthly port-in numbers have been progressively dropping, from a three-digit to a single-digit level by 2025.
  • A slight recovery was observed in May 2024 (226), but it was not sustained.
  • By early 2025, port-ins dropped to as low as 1-3 per month.
  • This trend is consistent with a sharp decline in its subscriber base.
  • Compared to other service providers, 9mobile has struggled to attract and maintain switching clients.

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