Globacom’s over 1 million subscriber gain was all it took to stop the entire telecommunication industry from decline in the month of July.
The industry could only account for 195,313 subscribers in July compared to 580,082 that joined in June, a new report from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The number of subscribers now stands at 187.4 million in July from 187.2 million in June.
Globacom led the gain with 1 million subscribers joining its network to take its total to 51.1 million in July from 50.1 million. The telco also returns to the position of the second-largest telecom operator which it lost to Airtel in May.
The telco’s 1 million subscribers gain in a month less than 200,000 subscribers were recorded would only mean that subscribers migrated from other networks to join the Nigerian-owned telecom operator.
Globacom’s market share is now at 27.28 percent compared to 26.77 percent in June and 26.6 percent in May.
Sources close to Globacom said it is a result of continuous enhancement of network quality with the modernisation of infrastructure, rollout of 4G technology in many more cities across the country, value-adding products such as 22x.
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The 22X offer is a prepaid plan created to reward customers with data and voice benefits every time they recharge their Glo lines, and it is meant to allow customers to satisfy their browsing and talking needs from the same recharge.
Airtel, which was the biggest gainer in June with 638,935 subscribers, recorded a loss of 364,486 in July. The total number of subscribers on the network is now at 50.3 million from 50.6 million recorded in June. Following the loss, Airtel became the third-largest operator.
The loss also meant Airtel’s market share declined from 27.05 percent in June to 26.83 percent in July.
Africa’s largest telecom operator, MTN continues its search for first subscriber growth, as the telco lost 447,460 in July. The total subscriber base now stands at 73.1 million from 73.5 million.
The telco has now gone ten months without growing its subscriber base as the last time MTN recorded subscriber growth was in October 2020. The operator’s market share also continues to decline. In July it dropped to 39.01 percent from 39.28 percent in June and 39.66 percent in May.
The slow growth in July is coming a month after the industry recorded its first gain in eight months. Experts said it was an indication of recovery.
The telecom industry has so far lost a total of 11.08 million mobile subscribers between January and June 2021. The industry added 25.5 million subscribers in all of 2020. This essentially means that in the first half of 2021 it has lost about 40 percent of what it gained from one year ago.
The industry would need to double its triple its growth in order to wipe off the losses it incurred in the first quarter and have a chance at meeting last year’s total gains.
