MTN Group: Revenue from data almost tripled in a decade

MTN Group's revenue of ZAR104.3b from voice services in 2014 dropped to ZAR81b in 2023, with data services revenue almost tripling within the same period. With increasing digital inclusion, data service is definitely the future for telcos.

Source:

MTN Group

Period:

2014 - 2023
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Globacom's internet subscriber base dropped by nearly 64% in 2025 to 15.8 million from its 2023 peak
Key Takeaways:
  • MTN remains the market leader, growing from 26 million subscribers in 2013 to 75 million by early 2025.
  • MTN's market share was 53.10% in early 2025, with over 75 million active data subscribers.
  • Airtel saw consistent growth, rising from 8.2 million in 2013 to 48.7 million in 2025, now commanding over 34% market share.
  • Globacom’s data subscriber base peaked in 2023 at 43.7 million but fell sharply by 2025 to 15.8 million.
  • 9mobile's market share in 2025 dropped to just 1.29% from its 2016 peak of 16.31%.
  • Globacom’s market share dropped significantly from its peak of 29.27% in 2017 to 11.16% in 2025.
  • Airtel doubled its market share from 18% in 2013 to 34% in 2025.
  • 9mobile's data subscriber base crashed by 88% from its 2016 peak to less than 2 million in 2025.
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.
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:
  • MTN maintained the highest market share, growing from 41% in December 2015 to 52% by April 2025.
  • Airtel grew significantly, expanding from 22% in December 2015 to 34% by Apr 2025.
  • 9mobile experienced a steep decline, falling from 15% to 2% over the same period.
  • Globacom maintained stability until 2023, then saw a dramatic fall from 27% to 12% by December 2024.
  • The total market grew from 148.7 million in 2015 to 172.7 million subscribers in 2025 (16% growth).
  • 9mobile's market share declined from 22.2 million subscribers (15%) to just 3.0 million (2%) in 2025.
  • Globacom lost 41.5 million subscribers between 2023 and 2024.
  • Airtel's market share expanded from 22% to 34%.
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.
9mobile lost more than 110,000 users porting to other providers in 47 months, with the largest outflow exceeding 5,000 users between July 2024 and April 2025
Key Takeaways:
  • September 2024 saw the most outbound departures (7,127), followed by January 2025 (6,716 losses).
  • From June 2021 to April 2025, the network saw a steady and increasing loss of consumers to other suppliers.
  • The outflow has accelerated considerably since mid-2023, showing growing subscriber dissatisfaction or more appealing options.
  • The largest monthly outflows occurred between July 2024 and April 2025, when more than 5,000 subscribers left on a consistent monthly basis.
  • Early 2021 numbers were extremely low, with only 323 ports in June and July 2021.
  • 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.
On average, over 75% of subscribers that switched networks ported from 9mobile, peaking at over 90% in September 2024
Key Takeaways:
  • 9mobile consistently tops the port-out chart, averaging over 75% of all outgoing ports over 24 months.
  • The highest subscriber loss from 9mobile occurred in September 2024, with 90.38% of all ports.
  • Airtel and Globacom show relatively stable port-out shares, rarely crossing 15%, with occasional surges. MTN has the lowest overall port-out rates, peaking at 13.64% in January 2025.
  • Total port-outs to other service providers surged by 127%, from 2,992 in May 2023 to 6,789 in April 2025.
  • The highest port transfer to another provider occurred in September 2024, with 7,886 total departures, and 9mobile recording 7,127 losses (90.38%).
  • Globacom’s outflow increased sharply from the July 2023 low, reaching 18.16% in April 2025.
  • Airtel maintained relatively low but fluctuating port-out rates, hitting its highest at 14.61% in October 2023.
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