Operators share 1.55m new subscribers in November 2017

About 1.55 million new telecommunications subscribers were registered and shared by the quartet of MTN, Globacom, Airtel and 9Mobile in November 2017.

This statistic is contained in the latest industry subscriber statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Monday.

The statistic also put teledensity at 101 per cent. Telephone density or teledensity is the number of telephone connections for every hundred individuals living within an area. It varies widely across the nations and also between urban and rural areas within a country.

Analysis of the data showed that the teledensity gained 1.11 per cent between October and November 2017. It moved from 100.55 per cent to 101.6 per cent within the period under review.

Subscribers to mobile services increased from 139.9 million in September to 140.7 million in October and 142.3 million in November.
It must however, be mentioned that Nigeria has been experiencing fluctuating growth in mobile subscriptions. As at November 2016, teledensity was around 109 per cent. Mobile subscriptions at the beginning of 2017 was around 155 million, but operators lost about 10 million subscribers within nine eight months.

At a forum in Lagos in the third quarter of 2017, the NCC Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders Management (ECSM), Sunday Dare, confirmed that the Commission was aware of the loss in mobile subscriptions in Nigeria, which he claimed was occasioned, majorly by the economic crunch.

Further analysis of the NCC statistics showed that MTN still maintained its industry leadership with 36.23 per cent market share and 51.4 million subscribers. Globacom, which is battling Airtel and three others for the soul of 9Mobile as new investor, owns 37.5 million customers and 26.4 per cent market share.

Airtel has 35.9 million subscribers, which is 25.3 per cent market share, while soon to be bought 9Mobile has17 million customers and 12 per cent market share.