T2 Mobile gains 200,000 new subscribers immediately after major rebrand 

T2 Mobile, formerly 9mobile, is showing the first signs of a comeback. Less than a month after unveiling its new brand identity, the operator gained subscribers for the first time in nearly two years. 

According to fresh data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), T2 added 290,601 new users in July 2025, expanding its base from 2.4 million to 2.7 million. That lifted its market share from 1.4% to 1.6%, marking its first net subscriber growth since late 2023.

The rebound follows two key moves: the company’s August rebrand to T2 Mobile and a roaming partnership with MTN Nigeria, which enables T2 users to access MTN’s nationwide network. The deal is already proving strategic as MTN has been battling service disruptions across northwestern states like Kebbi and Zamfara, where subscribers have been receiving apology messages for poor connectivity.

T2’s rebound stands out in a market that is shrinking fast. The entire industry shed 2.4 million subscribers in July 2025, the sharpest single-month decline since February. Airtel Nigeria lost 2.4 million users, shrinking to 56.5 million, Globacom dropped 143,701, ending with 20.7 million, and MTN Nigeria slipped by 106,345, falling to 89.1 million.

The decline comes despite surging digital demand. NCC data shows internet traffic reached a record 1.1 billion terabytes in July 2025, up steadily since March.

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Operators point to more than just higher tariffs introduced in January. A recurring industry audit launched by the NCC last year is forcing networks to delist dormant SIMs that had been inflating active user counts.

That cleanup has already cut Nigeria’s mobile base by over 64 million lines since 2024, with 9mobile (now T2) and Globacom the hardest hit. Under the NCC’s 2025 Telecom Identity Risk Management Policy (TIRMP), any line with no calls, SMS, billed USSD, or data use for 180 days is marked inactive. If it remains unused for another 180 days, it can be reassigned after 365 days.