In a major development for Nigeria’s telecom sector, 9mobile’s 2.97 million subscribers can now look forward to improved service coverage following the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) approval of a national roaming agreement with MTN Nigeria.
MTN confirmed the three-year deal in a regulatory notice to the Nigerian Exchange, revealing that the NCC had officially greenlit the nationwide roaming arrangement with Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Limited (9mobile). Under the agreement, 9mobile users will gain access to MTN’s extensive network infrastructure across the country.
This partnership is expected to resolve persistent service challenges faced by 9mobile customers, including poor network coverage and service disruptions.
“My 9mobile barely has reception, but I can’t discard the line because it’s linked to my bank account,” said Doyin Adebiyi, a subscriber frustrated by prolonged connectivity issues.
“When is NCC going to act on 9mobile? It is not working,” lamented another user, Kemi Alaka, who said she had been unable to use her line for weeks.
National roaming allows mobile users to make calls, browse the internet, and access other services using another network when outside their primary provider’s coverage area. This model promotes infrastructure sharing — a strategy MTN has already tested through earlier partnerships, including a previous roaming pilot with Airtel.
The groundwork for the current deal dates back to a trial period between August and October 2020, when the NCC authorized both MTN and 9mobile to test national roaming capabilities.
“This agreement marks a major milestone in our efforts to strengthen industry collaboration, enhance customer experience, and align with the NCC’s vision for a fully connected Nigeria,” said MTN Nigeria CEO, Karl Toriola.
“A telecoms market of this scale requires cooperation between the private sector, regulators, and investors. Today’s announcement shows what is possible through strategic collaboration.”
9mobile has experienced a steep subscriber decline — dropping from 4.65 million to under 3 million users — following internal restructuring and ownership changes. The company was recently acquired by LH Telecoms Nigeria, a subsidiary of Light House Capital, but challenges persist.
Through this new partnership, 9mobile can leverage MTN’s nationwide infrastructure to improve service delivery. In exchange, MTN gains access to 9mobile’s spectrum assets, which include the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 2100 MHz frequency bands — valuable resources in Nigeria’s competitive telecom landscape.
The agreement marks a significant step toward strengthening connectivity for millions of Nigerians and boosting investor confidence in the sector.