The number of subscribers that left their mobile telecommunications service providers for other mobile networks rose to 1,222,124 in June 2021, data collated from the Nigerian Communications Commission show.
In April 2013, the NCC launched mobile number portability service for GSM subscribers.
The NCC said, “In furtherance of its efforts to promote competition, improve quality of service and ensure that consumers continue to enjoy a good experience on the mobile networks, the NCC launched mobile number portability service for GSM subscribers in April 2013.
“The MNP enables consumers to switch networks without losing their cellular phone numbers.”
Licences were granted to a consortium of three companies (Interconnect Limited, Saab Grinteck and Telecordia) earlier in January 2012 to facilitate the service as the Number Portability Clearing House for the industry.
MNP is a service that enables a subscriber to keep their mobile phone number when changing from one mobile service provider to another. It is available for GSM mobile operators, including MTN, Globacom, 9mobile and Airtel.
MTN has lost 48,623 subscribers to porting in the period under review; Airtel lost 336,780 subscribers; Globacom saw 270, 841 subscribers leave its network; 9mobile lost 165,880 subscribers.
Singapore was the first country to implement MNP in 1997, and over 73 countries in the world currently allow MNP.
Porting activities were on the rise in 2020 before the NCC banned the sales of new SIMs and other related activities due to SIM-NIN linkage in December 2020. From January 2021 till May 2021, no porting activity was recorded.
According to the last industry statistics update by the NCC, porting activities resumed in June, with only 702 lines porting. This is the lowest number recorded since the service began in 2013.
