Despite Drop in Telecoms Subscriptions, Telcos Gain New Subscribers through Number Porting

Emma Okonji

The latest statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has revealed a slight drop in telecoms subscriptions across networks, from 224,713,710 subscriptions in December last year to 219,304,281 subscriptions in March this year.

Telecoms operators have blamed the development on the weak purchasing power, occasioned by the harsh economic situation in the country that also prevented network expansion in the first quarter of this year.

Despite the setback, telecoms operators still gained new subscribers through mobile number porting within the same period.

Analysis of the NCC numbers showed that MTN led in in-coming porting with a total subscriber number of 81,799,666 on its network, and a market share of 37.35 per cent as at March 2024.

According to the statistics, which THISDAY obtained from NCC’s website, telecoms subscriptions across networks, reached 224,713,710 in December last year, but dropped to 218,400,965 in January this year, before rising slightly to 219,970,312 in February, and dropped again to 219,304,281 in March this year.

The statistics however showed that telecoms operators gained new subscribers through mobile number porting between October last year and March this year.

According to the statistics, MTN alone had 1,925 new subscribers in October last year that ported from other networks to its network, and in November and December last year, 1,470 and 1,661 subscribers ported to the MTN network respectively. From January, February and March this year, MTN also received as much as 2,270; 2,989; and 1,296 new subscribers respectively that ported to its network.

The statistics also showed that Airtel had 1,034 new subscribers that ported from other networks to its network in October last year, 668 and 795 subscribers ported to the Airtel network in November and December last year respectively. From January, February and March this year, Airtel also received 541, 682, and 343 new subscribers respectively.

Globacom also had 132 new subscribers that ported to its network in October last year, and another 211 and 196 new subscribers that ported to its network in November and December 2023 respectively. In January this year, 187 new subscribers ported from other networks to the Globacom network, while another 198 and 210 new subscribers ported to the Globacom network in February and March this year respectively.

According to the statistics, 9moble, the last entrant into the telecoms market in 2008, also gained new subscribers through mobile number porting within the same period. The company had 126 new subscribers that ported to its network in October last year, and in November and December last year, 84 and 77 new subscribers ported to the network respectively. In January this year, 156 new subscribers left other networks to join the 9mobile network, while in February and March this year, 75 and 62 new subscribers ported to 9mobile network respectively.

Further analysis showed that a total of 3,217 subscribers ported to various networks in October last year, while a total of 2,433 and 2,729 subscribers ported to other networks in the months of November and December respectively last year. A total of 3,154 subscribers ported to various networks in January this year, while a total of 3,944 subscribers ported in February this year. The total number of porting subscribers however dropped across networks to as low as 1,911 in March this year.

Giving reasons for the drop in telecoms subscriptions in the first quarter of this year, the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, who is the spokesperson for telecoms operators, told THISDAY in a telephone interview that the drop in telecoms subscriptions was as a result of the weak purchasing power of telecoms subscribers, which he blamed on the harsh Nigerian economy.

According to Adebayo, some subscribers are struggling to maintain their existing lines and some have to turn off their mobile data when not in use, just to save cost.

He said the subscription numbers would likely drop again at the end of the second quarter, giving the current economic challenges, which according to him, is adversely affecting the purchasing power of telecoms subscribers.

Aside the subscribers, Adebayo said the harsh economy also had its negative impact on telecoms operators because they are no longer investing in telecoms network expansion for several reasons.

“Telecoms operators are currently managing to service infrastructures that are critical in providing telecoms services to the public, and they are not expanding their networks because of a combination of several factors,” Adebayo said. He however commended the NCC for listening to telecoms’ sector complaints and for making attempts to address them, even though the NCC is not getting the required support from government to address telecoms challenges.