Nigerians are reacting with frustration as MTN drastically raised data prices, with its 15-gigabyte weekly plan jumping from 2,000 naira to 6,000 naira. The unexpected surge has sparked online protests, with many subscribers threatening to switch to rival networks like Globacom and Airtel.
An X user, Khan, expressed anger over the charges on Wednesday, writing, “I think it’s high time we boycotted MTN. Their network is terrible, and their data plans are a rip-off. The 15GB package doesn’t even last three days.” Another user, Hashtag LFC, urged customers to make the switch”.
Despite the outrage, MTN remained the biggest winner in Nigeria’s mobile network portability system in 2024, gaining 36,412 new users while losing only 2,496. Airtel followed with 13,783 new customers but lost 4,051. Globacom welcomed 4,469 subscribers but saw 3,813 leave. Meanwhile, 9mobile faced a mass exodus, losing 44,658 customers while attracting only 724 new users.
Although mobile network portability has been available since 2013, adoption remains low. Telecom analyst Kehinde Aluko explained that many Nigerians find little difference in service quality among providers, making the hassle of switching less appealing.
“While some operators offer incentives to attract new customers, they are often not strong enough to justify porting,” Aluko said. “Low public awareness of the process and network coverage limitations also discourage many from making the switch.
Nigeria ends 2024 with 164.9 million active lines
The country closed the year with 164.9 million active mobile subscribers, a sharp drop from 224.7 million in December 2023. The decline was largely due to the National Identification Number and Subscriber Identity Module audit, which eliminated inactive and unregistered lines.
Despite the initial drop, operators reactivated about 10 million lines between October and December, pushing the total back up. Teledensity, which measures the number of telephone connections per 100 people, rose from 71.4 percent in September to 76 percent by year-end, signaling a gradual recovery.
4G remains king while 5G expands slowly
4G remains the dominant mobile technology in Nigeria, accounting for 47.2 percent of users. Meanwhile, 5G penetration remains slow, with just 2.46 percent of subscribers—around four million Nigerians—using the high-speed network provided by MTN, Airtel, and Mafab Communications.
Older technologies still hold a significant share, with 2G covering 41.59 percent of subscribers and 3G at 8.75 percent.
MTN leads the market as 9mobile struggles
MTN ended 2024 as Nigeria’s largest telecom provider, boasting 84.6 million subscribers and a 52.39 percent market share. Airtel followed with 56.6 million users, holding 34.4 percent of the market.
Globacom ranked third with 20.1 million subscribers and 12.23 percent market penetration, while 9mobile trailed with just 3.28 million users, representing only 1.99 percent of the market.
MTN has long dominated Nigeria’s telecom industry, but with its recent tariff increase, the question remains—will it continue to remain king, or will agitated Nigerians port to other networks in search of better deals?
