About 17,030 telecommunication subscribers changed their service providers in nine months, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
From June 2021 to February 2022, 17,030 switched from former service providers to new ones. In the period under review, 47.76 per cent of those that left their network providers were from 9mobile.
9mobile lost 8,133 subscribers; Airtel lost 5,162; MTN lost 2,243 subscribers, while Globacom lost 1,492.
The mobile number portability service for GSM subscribers in April 2013 by the NCC gave subscribers the option of switching mobile network providers while retaining their numbers.
While launching the service, the commission said, “In furtherance of its efforts to promote competition, improve quality of service and ensure that consumers continue to enjoy a good experience on the mobile networks, the NCC launched mobile number portability service for GSM subscribers in April 2013.
“The MNP enables consumers to switch networks without losing their cellular phone numbers.”
According to the commission, there was no time restriction to the number of times subscribers could leave their network providers, but there was a 45-day imposed restriction on time within porting.
Prior to the nine months under review, the number of subscribers that changed their telecoms service providers was 86,978 in 2018, 139,022 in 2019, and 182,958 in 2020.
