Mobile Subscriptions Plunges By 1. 2m In June 2023

Nigeria’s mobile subscriptions database plunged by 1.2 million in June 2023, the latest industry statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has revealed.

According to the statistics, active subscriptions across the networks of MTN, Glo, Airtel, and 9mobile declined by 0.5 per cent to 219.7 million in June 2023, compared to 220.9 million, recorded in May, 2023. This revealed that country’s mobile subscriptions database plunged by 1.2 million in June.

The statistics revealed that MTN pulled down the total industry database with a 925,925 decline in its subscriptions, bringing its total active subscriptions to 84.6 million from 85.6 million it recorded in May 2023.

Airtel’s active subscriptions declined from 60.5 million in May to 60.2 million in June, a decline of 337,036.

9mobile also lost 82,234 in the month under review as its active subscriptions declined from 13.6 million in May to 13.7 million in June.

Meanwhile, Glo recorded a 179,851 increase in subscriptions in the month. The new activations on the network brought Glo’s total subscriptions to 61.3 million from 61.1 million recorded in May.

Actively connected lines recorded by the operators, the country’s teledensity, which measures the number of active telephone connections per 100 inhabitants living within an area, also slumped to 115.30 per cent from 115.91 per cent recorded in May. (The teledensity is calculated based on a population estimate of 190 million.)

Meanwhile, LEADERSHIP findings showed that the decline in active mobile subscriptions is as a result of the directive by the Commission (to Telecommunications companies) to deactivate inactive subscribers after six months of inactivity.

Recall that unused or abandoned lines on MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile networks climbed to 96.7 million in February 2023, according to a report from the Nigerian Telecommunication Commission’s most recent subscriber statistics release (NCC).

The NCC, in its newly approved guidelines, titled, ‘Draft Quality of Service Business Rules’, stipulate that, if a subscriber remains inactive for an additional six months, there is a possibility of losing their number, unless there is a network-related issue preventing the activation of the Registered Glove Enclave (RGE).

“A subscriber’s line may be deactivated if it has not been used, within six months, for a Revenue Generating Event (RGE), and if the situation persists for another six months, the subscriber may lose their number, except for a network-related fault inhibiting an RGE,” the guidelines reads.