Industry experts reveal reasons 9Mobile blocks porting requests by subscribers

• Many 9Mobile subscribers person complained astir their inability to power to different networks amid challenges astatine the firm
• Analysts person disclosed that 9Mobile whitethorn beryllium blocking porting requests from rival telecom firms arsenic much subscribers question to permission the telco
• 9Mobile emerged arsenic the biggest loser of customers successful January 2025, with implicit 6,000 subscribers porting their numbers to different networks

Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported connected tech, energy, stocks, concern and the economy for implicit a decade.

A increasing fig of 9Mobile subscribers person lamented their inability to power to different networks successful February, with experts alleging that the embattled telco whitethorn beryllium deliberately blocking porting requests.

The improvement has raised concerns among industry watchers, with the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NTACOMS) asking the Nigerian Communications Commission to intervene.

Embattled 9Mobile allegedly blocks subscribers from porting to different networks. Credit: Novatis
Source: UGC

9Mobile subscribers lament prolonged outages

In January 2025, 9Mobile emerged arsenic the biggest loser of subscribers. Many of its customers switched to different networks amid ongoing infrastructure problems astatine the telco.

Many subscribers person reported that 9Mobile’s services person go shambolic arsenic they sometimes spell without services for days.

The telecommunication company’s subscriber basal has declined, remaining stagnant astatine 3.2 cardinal for 3 months. This is simply a driblet from 23.4 cardinal successful 2015 erstwhile it controlled 15.7% of the marketplace share.

Other telcos person reported a surge successful 9Mobile subscribers wishing to larboard their numbers to either rival Airtel oregon MTN.

According to reports, different work providers accidental 9Mobile subscribers person reported protracted issues with the company, prompting them to petition to larboard their lines, which is past blocked by the firm.

NATCOMS moves to intervene

In 2023, NCC introduced the Mobile Number Portability, allowing telecom subscribers to power providers portion retaining their archetypal telephone numbers.

The process involves submitting a porting petition astatine a preferred web provider’s office, starring the relation to initiate a transportation petition to the subscriber's existent network.

Punch reports that NATCOMS president, Deolu Ogunbanjo said if porting is nary longer possible, past it becomes a superior challenge.

The NCC and 9Mobile representatives person yet to respond to inquiries connected the issue.

6,000 subscribers godforsaken 9Mobile

New NCC information shows that mobile fig portability accrued by 190% successful January 2025, with 8,708 subscribers switching networks comparative to 2,998 recorded successful December 2024.

9Mobile recorded the highest subscriber losses, with 6,716 customers leaving the telco for rivals.

Despite this summation successful porting activity, lone 7 customers joined 9Mobile successful January.

9Mobile subscribers person reported web challenges including car information renewals without consent, and mediocre lawsuit service, starring to galore porting their numbers to different web providers.

NCC Chairman, Aminu Maida to wade successful arsenic subscribers study issues switching networks. Credit: NCC
Source: UGC

Legit.ng earlier reported that successful July 2024, subscribers endured a six-day nationwide outage aft aggregate fibre cuts. 9Mobile apologised and assured customers that the contented had been rectified.

Another institution acquires 9Mobile

Legit.ng earlier reported that pursuing the approvals of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited, operating nether the commercialized sanction 9Mobile, announced the completion of an equity investment by LH Telecommunication Limited.

The investment, which was approved by African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIM), the elder lender to 9Mobile, successful May 2023, resulted successful a alteration successful power of 9Mobile successful favour of the caller investor.

The caller capitalist was issued caller shares amounting to 95.5% of 9Mobile successful information for injecting caller superior into the company.

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Source: Legit.ng