The story of 9mobile’s tussle with debt and fleeing customers

Since 2010, the telecoms sector in Nigeria has been dominated by four companies - MTN, Airtel, Globacom and 9Mobile or “the big four” as they are often called. 

However, the big four is quickly becoming the big three.

Between 2016 and now, the smallest of those companies has gotten even smaller -  losing half of its market share. In 2019 alone, it lost 3 million subscribers. 

The company is 9Mobile, formerly Etisalat.  

By comparison, in the same year, its three competitors grew their subscriber base by a combined 13 million subscribers, with Globacom, alone, gaining six million subscribers. 

So, what has happened to the once-promising 9Mobile? Why are subscribers leaving? 

To understand this, we need to understand what made 9Mobile promising to begin with.