Nigeria’s fourth-largest telecommunication network, 9Mobile gained 43,266 internet subscribers in the month of July, the first time since April 2016 when it last recorded subscriber growth.
The company saw 7,137,687 in July from the 7,094,421 it recorded in June. It also extended its gaining streak to mobile subscribers which reached 12,163,330 from 12,111,674 in June, representing a gain of 51,656. It also means 9Mobile now controls 6.11 percent of the telecommunication market which may not so significant from the last share in June at 6.0 percent.
However, this is the first time 9Mobile is gaining mobile subscribers and internet subscribers at the same time in one month, and that is a significant feat for a company once seen as the “Sickman of the telecom industry.”
9Mobile’s recent gains may be connected to a revived market approach in which the owners of the embattled telco had to shop for a new CEO – Alan Sinfield – to rescue its drowning numbers. The board also approved the appointment of Stjepan Udovicic, a business growth executive, as its chief commercial officer on Tuesday.
In an interview with TechCabal, Sinfield said his vision was to transition 9Mobile to data and digital services, a path it began in 2016. Earlier in 2020, the company unveiled plans to roll out 4G LTE in 6 cities across Nigeria which will bring the number of cities accessing the service to 16. The targeted cities include Aba, Abuja, Nasarawa, Calabar, Enugu, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Niger, Onitsha, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Sokoto, Uyo, Aba and Ogun.
“There is a huge potential for the future for further broadband deployment,” Sinfield said, “and I’m saying broadband deployment because I think we should not be caught up in focusing just on the technology that’s there, like 4G, 4G+, LTE, etc.”
Sinfield said the company is also working on positioning itself to become a strong contender in the data market.
“Data is key,” he said.
The company has also renewed its fervency on data promotion. It announced the Mega Million Promo in August. With a cumulative recharge of N10,000 over the 90 days duration of the promo, users get a chance to win the N10,000,000 grand prize, and their winning chances increase as they recharge more. Also, new customers get up to 100 percent data bonus for 12 months with free 1GB and N500 airtime.
9Mobile is also among the telcos that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said it has issued a Payment Service Bank licence to. Sinfield told TechCabal he sees huge potential in the market.
“We’re very close in terms of the platforms and how the developments of the platforms underpin the services we provide in the market and the services we offer in the market,” he said.
