A growing number of 9mobile subscribers have been unable to switch to other networks over the past month, with industry insiders alleging that the telecom provider is deliberately obstructing porting requests at the backend.
The issue has raised concerns among industry stakeholders, prompting the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS) to call on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to investigate the matter.
This development comes as 9mobile’s subscriber base has remained stagnant at 3.2 million for three consecutive months—a sharp decline from its 2015 peak of 23.4 million when it held a 15.7% market share.
A visit by our correspondent to customer service centers of major network providers, including MTN and Airtel, confirmed the issue.
Customer service representatives who was interviewed mentioned that an influx of 9mobile subscribers attempting to migrate due to persistent network challenges.
“The problem is from 9mobile. They are experiencing network issues. When customers fill out the porting form, we send a text code to them, and they’re supposed to respond. But the messages never go through,” said one customer service agent, speaking anonymously due to a lack of authorization.
Mobile Number Portability (MNP), introduced by the telecom regulator in 2013, allows users to switch network providers while retaining their phone numbers. The process typically involves submitting a request at the preferred new network provider’s service center, after which the receiving operator initiates a transfer request to the subscriber’s current provider.
NATCOMS President, Deolu Ogunbanjo, described the reported issue as a serious concern.
“If porting is no longer possible, as reports suggest, it’s a major problem,” Ogunbanjo stated in an interview. “We will escalate this to the NCC because Mobile Number Portability is a regulatory initiative meant to protect consumers. The NCC should be made aware, and I am confident they will investigate.”
For more than 24 hours after inquiries were sent, neither 9mobile’s Lead Public Relations Officer, Chineze Amanfo, nor the NCC’s Director of Publicity, Reuben Mouka, responded to requests for comment.
A senior industry source familiar with the situation alleged that 9mobile may be intentionally restricting porting requests.
“I have reliable information that 9mobile is blocking customers from porting at the backend. For the past month, no one has successfully switched from 9mobile to MTN, while porting from Airtel and Glo to MTN has continued without issues,” the source, who requested anonymity, claimed.
Recent NCC data shows a 190% surge in mobile number portability in January 2025, with 8,708 subscribers switching networks compared to 2,998 in December 2024.
9mobile recorded the highest customer losses, with 6,716 subscribers leaving the network for competitors. Despite this increase in porting activity, only seven new customers joined 9mobile in January.
Subscribers have reported ongoing issues such as chronic network outages, automatic data renewals without consent, and poor customer service, driving many toward competitors like MTN and Airtel.
In July 2024, a six-day nationwide outage occurred following multiple fibre cuts and infrastructure damage, disrupting voice and data services. 9mobile later apologized and assured customers that its technical teams were working on restoration.
In December 2024, a fire at 9mobile’s main data center in Lagos, coupled with fibre cuts and vandalism of critical infrastructure in Lagos and Abuja, led to further severe disruptions, leaving subscribers without reliable connectivity.
