NCC Reports 172 Million Active Lines in March, MTN Leads with Over 90 Million

MTN Nigeria has further cemented its leadership in the country’s telecom industry, crossing the 90 million active subscriptions milestone in March 2025, according to the latest data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The NCC’s industry statistics reveal that the total number of active mobile subscriptions in Nigeria rose to 172.4 million across the four major mobile network operators, marking a steady recovery following the massive subscriber loss in 2024 due to the NIN-SIM verification audit, which deactivated over 60 million lines.

Market Breakdown

MTN maintained its dominant position with 90.4 million active lines, translating to a 52.48% share of the total market.

Airtel Nigeria followed as the second-largest operator with 58.2 million active subscriptions, representing a 33.78% market share.

Globacom remained a distant third with 20.7 million subscribers, accounting for 12.01% of the market.

9mobile, however, continued its downward spiral with just 2.8 million active users, holding a mere 1.72% share of the telecom market. Unlike other operators that recorded subscription growth between February and March, 9mobile’s figures remained unchanged—indicating no new activations or exits during the period.

9mobile’s Ongoing Troubles

Once a key player, 9mobile now grapples with a shrinking customer base and persistent service quality issues. In recent months, complaints have surged regarding users’ inability to port out of the network, leading to speculation in March that the company was on the verge of shutting down.

Addressing the rumors, 9mobile released a statement denying any operational shutdown and reaffirming its commitment to Nigerian customers. The company acknowledged the porting difficulties but attributed them to technical challenges, not deliberate restrictions.

“9mobile categorically refutes the false and misleading rumours suggesting an alleged shutdown of our operations in Nigeria. These claims are entirely baseless and aimed at causing unnecessary panic among our valued subscribers,” the statement read.

The telco explained that the recent porting issues were the result of temporary technical glitches, which it claims have now been mostly resolved. Minor delays, it added, may still occur as system optimizations continue.

Path to Recovery

9mobile also admitted that some users across various regions were experiencing service disruptions. It attributed these issues to its ongoing infrastructure overhaul, which is part of a broader transformation effort aimed at improving service quality and modernizing its network.

Despite the setbacks, 9mobile says it remains a resilient, proudly Nigerian brand and is investing in network upgrades and service expansion that will, in due time, enhance the connectivity experience for individuals, businesses, and communities nationwide.