Hoping to get quality of experience (QoE) in their telephone conversations, about 8,702 subscribers across MTN, Airtel, Globacom, T2 and Vitel exchanged their service providers in the first six months of 2026.
  
They explored the mobile number portability (MNP) scheme, which is in its 13th year, having been introduced in the country on April 22, 2013, by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
   
MNP was launched to improve the quality of service and other service concerns by deepening competition among telecoms service providers, but it appears the purpose of it has long been defeated, especially due to the multi-SIM nature of Nigeria’s telecoms sector.
  
When MNP was introduced in Nigeria, there were about 100 million telephone users; today, despite it, the figure has doubled. As of June 2026, there were 192 million active telephone lines from over 300 million connected SIMs in the country.
  
Analysis of MNP data from NCC showed that MTN received more telecoms subscribers from other networks. Specifically, the telecommunications operator witnessed an intake of 5,225 customers.
  
It was followed by Airtel, which took in 2324 users, while Globacom got 932 subscribers and T2 was left with 122 customers.
  
According to the data, some subscribers who were not happy with MTN also ported out of the network. The analysis showed that 1208 users left the Yhello network as of June 2026. Globacom lost 932 users; Airtel had 1255 customers ported out. T2 recorded the highest number of casualties with 4,264 customers leaving the network.
     
Further analysis of the NCC data showed that MTN remained the largest operator in Nigeria with 98.6 million subscribers and 51.38 percentage penetration. Airtel is second with 34.4 per cent reach and 66.1 million users.
   
Globacom came third with 23.6 million users and 12.36 per cent national spread. T2, formerly 9mobile, maintained fourth position with 3.53 million subscribers and 1.84 per cent penetration. 
    
The June edition showed telecom operators unwrap 2.55 million new Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards in June as the number rose from 189.6 million in May to 192.2 million a month after.
   
Further analysis of the data showed that alongside this surge in mobile subscriptions, fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) deployment has reached 319,735 connections nationwide from 241,750 users in Q1. While modest compared to mobile figures, this development signals a significant step toward high-speed broadband adoption in households. Fibre connectivity offers faster, more reliable Internet access, enabling streaming, remote work, online education, and digital innovation to thrive in Nigeria’s growing tech ecosystem.
   
The dual expansion of mobile and fibre networks highlighted the country’s ongoing digital transformation. With mobile phones serving as the primary gateway to connectivity for millions, and fibre networks laying the foundation for advanced digital services, Nigeria is steadily building the infrastructure needed to support a modern digital economy. This progress not only enhances everyday communication but also strengthens opportunities for business growth, innovation, and global competitiveness.