Stakeholders in the telecom industry including subscribers and industry body have urged the management of 9mobile as it commences its transition to a new corporate and consumer identity, T2.
They say the strategic brand migration marks a pivotal chapter in the company’s business transformation as it marked its third from Etisalat to 9mobile and now, T2 and sets the stage for a renewed competitive presence in Nigeria’s telecoms landscape and a sharper alignment with evolving digital consumer expectations.
The telco which is the fourth entrant into the Nigerian telecoms space, had few weeks ago began the implementation of the roaming agreement by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) with MTN Nigeria.
In a telephone interview yesterday, President, Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Tony Emoekpere, hailed the development, adding that since the company is firmly under a new management, there was need for it to reposition itself for competition.
He said for the telco to regain its lost glory, it must do something that will differentiate it from the others. According to him, from what he saw at the official ceremony to announce the brand change, it was obvious that T2 was determined to retake its niche market which is the youth population.
He urged the telco to offer services and products that resonate with the youths which he said constitutes over 60 per cent of the nation’s population, adding that if they get it right, it will be fine.
Subscribers to have urged the telco not to stop at brand change but a total change in their business model. The subscribers, acting under the aegis of Association of Telephone, Cable TV, and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS-Nigeria), welcome the development, insisting that the telecom sector in the country is the proverbial elephant, adding that there were still enough space for T2.
Its President, Hon Sina Bilesanmi, congratulated the board and management of the company for not losing hope on the company.
“We welcome the rebrand of the telco. We see it as part of a broader plan to retake its customers which at a point was over 20million in this country. We also recall that this telco was the darling of the youth demography of this country with presence on major university campuses. While commending the NCC for its regulatory oversight thus far, we want urge it to treat T2 as one of the indigenous operators in the country,” he said.
Bilesanmi also commended the subscribers of the carrier for their patience, adding that what the company owed the customers was improved telecom product and services.
“T2 must wear its thinking cap. It must be innovative in every ramifications. It must personalize its services to customers. It must let the customers know that they too are important. For instance, there is nothing bad if the telco sends birthday and wedding anniversary greetings to its customers. That gesture will make its customers to feel important and appreciated for the money they spend buying airtime for voice calls, text messages and data. The company has a lot of goodwill among the subscribers. I am sure many that left will come back,” Bilesanmi said.
The company said the rebrand is a key milestone within the company’s comprehensive four-phase recovery roadmap—Stabilisation, Modernisation, Transformation, and Growth—launched following the landmark 2023 acquisition of 9mobile by Lighthouse Telecoms, led by business leader and investor, Mr. Thomas Etuh.
Since the takeover, the company has made far reaching changes, including the constitution of a revitalized board, appointment of new executive leadership, and execution of a strategic infrastructure-sharing agreement with MTN Nigeria. This agreement, the first of its kind at scale in the country, has already led to the company significantly expanding its network coverage, capacity, and resilience nationwide.
Now entering the “Transformation” phase, the brand is embracing a new name, T2, and a new ambition: to lead in innovation, customer experience, and digital lifestyle enablement. The T2 identity reflects a forward-thinking, technology-driven, and customer-centric ethos designed to resonate with Nigeria’s increasingly digital and mobile-first population.
Chief Executive Officer of 9mobile, Obafemi Banigbe, said: “This is not just a logo change, it’s a total evolution of who we are, why we exist, and how we deliver value. T2 represents our next chapter. It is a symbol of our renewed commitment to innovation, resilience, and a deepened focus on customer experience. We are building a brand that is ready to thrive in the digital economy.”
Board Chairman, Emerging Markets Telecommunications Ltd, Thomas Etuh, echoed similar sentiments, describing the occasion as one that is significant in many respects for the 9mobile brand, as it represents the start of a new phase of life, a fresh start, rebirth, change or transformation, growth, reawakening, and a new order.
“Today marks a new beginning for the 9mobile business. The march has been tedious. The journey has been exhausting. It was faith and love for country that prompted my foray into the acquisition of the 9mobile business. I knew it was a tough call,” Etuh said, and thanked stakeholders such the NCC and 9mobile customers for standing by the brand through all its trials and challenges, including multiple litigations.
“To our amazing customers, please accept my profound gratitude for believing in us. I know our challenges have impacted you in one way or the other. But there is a resilient spirit we share with you. We are rising together again. Together, with you, we are reclaiming all lost grounds,” Etuh said.
Like ATCIS-Nigeria, the Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani commended T2 for its bold move and vision to invest in the economy and urged that the rebranding should go beyond a change of name.
“My message to T2 (formerly 9mobile) is simple – let this rebrand be more than a change of colours or new logo, but let it be a renewed commitment to innovation, to service excellence and to the millions of Nigerians whose lives and businesses depend on your network every single day. The Federal Government will continue to work with ecosystem players like T2 who are bold enough to invest, agile enough to adapt and visionary enough to see that the future belongs to those who embrace change before it’s forced upon them,” he said.
Speaking in the same vein, the Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Barr. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, who represented Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, affirmed the alignment between T2’s mission and the state’s digital goals.
“T2 has come at the right time. Its focus on digital innovation aligns seamlessly with the Lagos State Government’s vision for a robust digital economy that empowers citizens, businesses, and communities. We welcome partners like T2 who are committed to driving inclusive and transformative growth in our state,” she said.
The transition will be rolled out in deliberate phases, ensuring continuity and seamless service for existing customers while gradually introducing the market to the T2 narrative. At its core, T2 will focus on four key pillars: Speed, Smart Living, Digital Lifestyle, and Trust.
With customer expectations evolving rapidly and technology redefining the rules of engagement, the T2 brand aims to serve as a bridge between connectivity and culture, telecommunications and lifestyle, infrastructure and impact.
As the Nigerian telecoms sector moves into a new decade of transformation, T2 is poised to not just participate, but to lead.
When the 0809ja was launched in Nigeria in 2008, its promoter Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Ltd (EMTS), trading as Etisalat Nigeria said it was to affirm the Nigerianness of its origin and sphere of influence.
The collapse of negotiations between Etisalat and its consortium of bankers over a $1.2 billion loan it took became an albatross for the telco.
Repeated failures to adhere to agreed repayment schedules caused the banks to initiate take-over procedures, a move which caused the majority stakeholders, Mubadala Development Company of the United Arab Emirates, to withdraw its shareholding. The NCC had objected to the banks’ acquisition moves, claiming that extant laws do not permit telecommunications licenses to be acquired by third parties without the commission’s permission.
It has been argued that the former Etisalat was wrong-footed by the naira’s fall in value relative to the major international currencies, especially when the currency peg which kept it at the artificially high rate of N198 to $1 was scrapped in June 2016. With exchange rates falling to N498 to the dollar in January 2017, the cost of servicing the dollar-denominated portion of the loans definitely rose steeply. It is no coincidence that the company’s troubles began at precisely the time when exchange rates were at their highest.
