This Nigerian Telecom Brand Can't Quit Changing its Name
With just 2.4 million subscribers left, can 9mobile's rebrand convince Nigerians that it's a genuine comeback, not just another name change?
For years, Nigeria’s fourth-largest telecom operator has been the underdog in an unforgiving market. Once known as Etisalat Nigeria, then 9mobile, and now T2, the company’s journey reads like a corporate survival drama, with enough plot twists to rival a Nollywood thriller.
The rebrand, unveiled on Friday night in Lagos, marks the latest attempt to shake off years of dwindling subscriber numbers, ownership tussles, and brutal competition. Alongside a bold name change, T2 has ditched its iconic green for a vibrant orange, a colour the company calls a symbol of “ripe arrival” after years in the wilderness.
This announcement comes just weeks after T2 struck a strategic partnership with MTN Nigeria to piggyback on its infrastructure, a lifeline move that could finally stabilise the network for its remaining customers.
From hype to hardship
The story began in 2008 when Etisalat Nigeria entered the market with deep pockets and fresh ideas, quickly winning over young Nigerians with its edgy campaigns and flexible data packages.
By 2015, subscriber numbers had soared to a peak of 23 million, positioning the brand as a credible threat to giants MTN, Airtel, and Globacom.
Then came 2017. A crushing $1.2 billion debt owed to a consortium of local and foreign banks triggered an exodus of the UAE-based Etisalat Group. What followed was an emergency rebrand to 9mobile, now under Nigerian bank control.
But the name change wasn’t enough. Over the next eight years, the company bled customers, dropping to just 2.4 million active subscribers by June 2025, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Revenue shrank, service quality took hits, and the brand’s once-vibrant image faded.
Louis Eriakha
Speaking at the rebrand event, CEO Obafemi Banigbe didn’t shy away from the scars. “We have endured as a business. We have struggled as a business. But like Nigeria, we always bounce back stronger… we are not ashamed of the scars we carry,” he said.
Banigbe insists that the shift to T2 is more than a cosmetic update. The company, he said, is “redesigning to become leaner, faster, and smarter” with a renewed promise to serve “boldly, with clarity, speed, and passion.”
The orange, he added, reflects maturity: a move from “formative green” to “ripe, ready,” a subtle nod that the company sees itself past its survival stage and ready for growth.
Emmanuel Oyedeji
The mountain ahead
The rebrand is an opportunity, but also a gamble. Partnering with MTN could plug immediate service gaps, yet T2’s long-term success will depend on whether it can invest heavily in its infrastructure, compete on data pricing, and win back disillusioned customers.
With just 2.4 million active subscribers left, less than a tenth of its 2015 peak, the company faces the monumental task of convincing Nigerians that this is not just a name change, but a genuine comeback.
If T2 delivers, it could become one of the telecom industry’s greatest turnaround stories. If it doesn’t, the vibrant orange may simply fade into yet another chapter of what-could-have-been in Nigeria’s telecom history.
