₦airaland Forum

A rising number of 9mobile subscribers have been unable to switch to other networks in the past month, with industry insiders alleging that the telecom operator is deliberately blocking porting requests at the backend.

The issue has sparked concerns among industry stakeholders, with the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers calling on the Nigerian Communications Commission to investigate the matter.

This development comes as the operator’s subscriber base has remained stagnant at 3.2 million for three consecutive months—a sharp decline from 23.4 million in 2015 when it held a 15.7 per cent market share.

A visit by our correspondent on Monday to customer service centres of major network providers, including MTN and Airtel, confirmed the issue.

Customer service representatives who spoke with The PUNCH said they had seen an influx of 9mobile subscribers attempting to migrate due to persistent network issues.

“The problem is from 9mobile. They are having issues with their network. When customers come and fill out the porting form, we send a text code to them, and they are supposed to respond. But it doesn’t go through at all,” one of the customer service personnel, who spoke to our correspondent in confidence due to lack of authorisation to speak to the media, stated.

Mobile Number Portability, introduced by the telecom regulator in 2013, allows telecom users to switch providers while retaining their phone numbers.

The process typically involves submitting a request at the preferred new network provider’s service centre—after which the receiving operator initiates a transfer request to the subscriber’s current provider.

NATCOMS President, Deolu Ogunbanjo, told The PUNCH, “If porting is no longer possible, as reports suggest, it is a serious issue.

“We will escalate this to the NCC because Mobile Number Portability is a regulatory initiative designed to protect consumers. NCC should be made aware of this, and I am confident they will look into it.”

For more than 24 hours after enquiries were sent, 9mobile’s Lead Public Relations Officer, Chineze Amanfo, and the NCC’s Director of Publicity, Reuben Mouka, failed to respond to requests for comment.

A senior industry source familiar with the situation alleged that 9mobile might be intentionally frustrating porting requests.

“I have it on good authority that 9mobile is restricting customers from the backend. For the past month, no one has successfully ported from 9mobile to MTN, whereas subscribers are switching from Airtel and Glo to MTN without issues,” the source, who asked not to be named due to lack of authorisation, stated.

Recent NCC data shows that mobile number portability surged by 190 per cent in January 2025, with 8,708 subscribers switching networks compared to 2,998 in December 2024.

9mobile recorded the highest customer losses, with 6,716 subscribers leaving the network for competitors. Despite this increase in porting activity, only seven new customers joined 9mobile in January.

Subscribers have in recent times reported chronic network outages, automatic data renewals without consent, and poor customer service—issues that have driven many to competitors like MTN and Airtel.

In July 2024, a six-day nationwide outage occurred after multiple fibre cuts and infrastructure damage, affecting voice and data services. 9mobile apologised and assured customers that its technical teams were working on restoration.

In December 2024, a fire at 9mobile’s main data centre in Lagos, coupled with fibre cuts and vandalism of critical infrastructure in Lagos and Abuja, led to another round of severe disruptions, leaving subscribers without reliable connectivity.

Source: https://punchng.com/9mobile-accused-of-blocking-subscribers-from-switching-operators/

Mr Blogger, Have Lost Millions Of Naira Because Of This 9mobile No Network Wahala.

Watch The Video - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHY4kb9vRLC/?igsh=MW9ncW1ueTU5Zml0Mg==

This is serious. The most useless network . For weeks now they didn't have network

Just what I was considering few weeks ago. I don't want to dump the number as it was my first line.

Damn.

9mobile na one weyrey and hell of a network, since I ditch them almost 6 years ago it's been no regrets, however, that doesn't mean that other network are top notch, it's just a matter of chossing the lesser evil.

MTN is trashy, Airtel terrible while Glo is too tacky.

Everything Baba Terrible Meets , Dies

E no easy for 9 mobile at the moment

[quote author= post=134622787]Source: https://punchng.com/9mobile-accused-of-blocking-subscribers-from-switching-operators/[/quote]Dey play
If na you nko?

9 mobile is no longer a network again

They will be left with zero customers if they allow porting because their network is really bad

[quote author= post=134622791]Mr Blogger, Have Lost Millions Of Naira Because Of This 9mobile No Network Wahala.[/quote]Have you made up to a million naira since you started dis your useless blogging stuff?

Old good days when Etisalat was hot back then, Omo this life sef

9mobile don become rubbish

Plenty people have been lamenting about this. They should sha find a way around and permit people to port

The worst service provider ever

Pls if 9mobile dont want to operate again in Nigeria , let them notify us instead of this their useless network that can go for up to 2 weeks. And NCC sees nothing wrong in this.

9mobile should declared bankruptcy

Sonofgod1990:
Have you made up to a million naira since you started dis your useless blogging stuff?

Imagine calling someones legit hustle useless...

Youre even twice as useless... what an animal.

Funtua how far ? How market ?

Is 9 mobile still in operation?

NCC and FCCPC should investigate this and, if confirmed to be true, slap them with the necessary sanctions. You can't be a terrible network and still hold subscribers hostage.

9mobile is going to die a natural death in the next two years, max. How can you be losing customers in tens of thousands and gain only six new subscribers nationwide in a month? Their priority should be finding an operator willing to buy them out, and the sooner they close that deal, the better for everyone.

ymdo:
Just what I was considering few weeks ago. I don't want to dump the number as it was my first line.

My bvn and nin is on this number yet can't port to another service

Very useless network... That's why I didn't even bother doing welcome back when I misplaced my sim 10 years ago

[quote author= post=134622787]Source: https://punchng.com/9mobile-accused-of-blocking-subscribers-from-switching-operators/[/quote]I don't see them in business in the next three years

Past month ke?

I have been trying to port since the network wahala towards the end of last year.

If not for big men involved, 9mobile should either be bankrupt or have been acquired by a bigger player.

Nickisindigo:
My bvn and nin is on this number yet can't port to another service

Same wahala!

They should stop the rough play please

I hope they are not porting to MTN sha! The way useless Nigerians bad mouth good things ehn! They should just port to GLO

Who still dey port by this time

Just go and buy a new SIM and throw that trash network away.
A company that should have been sold a long time ago

Thank God I was able to port before this mischievous scheme of theirs.

jojothaiv:
Damn.

9mobile na one weyrey and hell of a network, since I ditch them almost 6 years ago it's been no regrets, however, that doesn't mean that other network are top notch, it's just a matter of chossing the lesser evil.

MTN is trashy, Airtel terrible while Glo is too tacky.

You lots complain of everything. Nothing ever measures up for you. Yet you create no value