After nearly five years of regulatory delays, 9mobile has finally received the green light from the Nigerian Communications Commission to roll out national roaming services on MTN Nigeria’s network, with a launch scheduled for June 2025.

The long-awaited approval marks a critical turning point for the struggling telecom operator, whose market share has plummeted to 1.72% as of April 2025 — a sharp decline from 6.6% in 2020 when it first sought the roaming license.

The journey to this point began in August 2020, when the NCC approved a three-month pilot test for roaming between 9mobile and MTN. Although that initial trial ended in October 2020, regulatory holdups stalled a commercial rollout until now. With the new approval, 9mobile will be able to extend its services into areas where it lacks infrastructure by riding on MTN’s nationwide network — a move expected to significantly improve coverage and service reliability for its dwindling customer base.

At the heart of the rollout is a national roaming and spectrum-sharing agreement signed between both operators in 2020. The deal allows 9mobile subscribers to make calls, send messages, and access mobile data through MTN’s infrastructure in regions where 9mobile’s coverage is poor or non-existent. It also enables MTN to leverage 9mobile’s underutilized spectrum in the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 2100 MHz frequency bands — assets that could help boost MTN’s network capacity and ease congestion, especially in high-density urban areas.

The 900 MHz band is particularly valuable for its superior indoor penetration and wide-area coverage, making it ideal for rural and semi-urban regions. Meanwhile, the 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz bands offer high capacity, essential for improving data speeds in Nigeria’s crowded cities. With over 84 million subscribers, MTN is expected to benefit significantly from access to these frequencies — although experts warn that regulatory constraints may limit how the spectrum is utilized.

“It’s a calculated bet for both operators,” said a telecom executive familiar with the matter, who spoke to Tech cabal anonymously “The NCC will likely impose conditions to ensure fair usage and prevent market imbalances.”

For 9mobile, the agreement provides a cost-effective path to recovery without the burden of expanding its own infrastructure. With rival Globacom’s subscriber base also in decline — now at a record low of 20.6 million, or 11.9% market share — analysts say the race for Nigeria’s third-largest mobile operator is wide open.

“The number three spot is still very much in play,” said the same executive. “If 9mobile can bundle services smartly and position itself well, they have a real chance to bounce back. Brand identity still matters — people stick to their numbers.”

From a regulatory standpoint, the move aligns with the NCC’s broader push for infrastructure sharing and spectrum efficiency in a cost-intensive operating environment. The Commission views national roaming as a critical tool for expanding connectivity, particularly in underserved regions, without the duplication of costly network rollouts.

As the telecom sector awaits the June rollout, all eyes will be on how effectively 9mobile can leverage the partnership to reclaim lost ground. If successful, the initiative could set a precedent for how smaller players can survive — and even thrive — in a market increasingly dominated by giants like MTN and Airtel. Most importantly, it could bring much-needed connectivity improvements to millions of Nigerians currently left behind by limited network coverage.