The latest data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) indicates that a prominent Nigerian telecom company faced a significant loss in market share after being targeted in a ransomware attack that affected its email and work applications.
According to the NCC’s review of subscriber data, the telecom company had 19.1 million active subscribers in September 2024, a sharp decrease from the 62.1 million subscribers it had in March 2024. This decline was a result of the NCC adjusting subscriber figures to exclude users with inactive lines or no revenue-generating activity for 90 days, leading to a drop in total active subscriptions across Nigeria.
The NCC’s revised guidelines define active subscribers as those engaging in revenue-generating activities like SMS, USSD, voice calls, or data usage. Subscribers with verified National Identification Numbers (NIN) must use their lines at least once within a 90-day period to be considered active.
Despite clear directives from the regulator, leading telcos were found to have inaccurately counted active subscribers, violating the NCC’s guidelines and inflating their subscriber counts. This practice skewed industry statistics, as reported by an NCC insider.
The NCC’s extensive review delayed the release of monthly industry statistics, revealing that the affected telecom company had 40 million inactive subscribers removed from its count, resulting in a decline in market share. Other telcos like Airtel and 9mobile also experienced reductions in inactive subscribers, while MTN Nigeria maintained its subscriber base and market share.
In conclusion, the telecom industry in Nigeria experienced shifts in subscriber numbers and market shares due to the NCC’s review and enforcement of revised guidelines on active subscribers.