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Nigeria’s telecoms subscriptions have increased to 190.8 million indicating a steady rise across the mobile network operators (MNOs).
The Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) in its latest data available on its website indicated a comparative positive increase of 0.80 per cent or 1,523,271 as against the 189,282,796 recorded the previous year.
In all, there are 190,475,494 (mobile GSM); 223,130 (Fixed wired. wireless); and 223,130 (VoIP) to make the total 190,806,067.
Experts believe the continuous growth in mobile subscriptions owe to a mix of factors including increasing penetration of networks in areas once uncovered, government programmes targeting to grow telephony subscriptions among specific segments of the population; and the growing acceptance of innovative digital services including financial services that require the use of mobile phones.
Porting apaathy
But there are shocks. The NCC recorded a decrease in the total number of subscribers that ported from one network to another signaling subscribers’ apathy towards porting. The new figure showed a sharp drop in the number of inward porting from 16,046 in March 2020, to 7,148 in April.
Some observers think it may be indicative of subscribers perception that all networks quality are the same and therefore no need to port. Quality of service remains a challenge in Nigeria’s telecom sector.
MTN had only 985 incoming porting in April this year compared to 1,965 in March. For the same period, Airtel had only 2,246 incoming porting compared to 5,594 incoming porting in March. 9Mobile recorded incoming porting of 3,829 for April while subscribers who left its services were 8,225 in March. Globacom recorded the least number of porting. Only 88 subscribers left its service in April compared 262 that left in March.
