In the fourth quarter of 2025, T2mobile, previously known as 9mobile, emerged as the leader in mobile network speeds in rural Nigeria, surpassing well-established competitors MTN, Airtel, and Globacom. This information comes from recent reports published by the Nigerian Communications Commission and speed-testing company Ookla.
T2mobile achieved an impressive average download speed of 24.9 Mbps in rural areas, significantly outpacing MTN’s 15.8 Mbps, Airtel’s 10.6 Mbps, and Globacom’s 9.5 Mbps. This performance marks a notable comeback for the smaller operator, which is focused on regaining its market presence.
The enhanced speeds are attributed to various infrastructure improvements and strategic spectrum agreements aimed at expanding network coverage. Recently, T2mobile entered into a substantial network upgrade contract with Huawei and obtained a three-year spectrum lease from MTN, acquiring 5 MHz in the 900 MHz band and 15 MHz in the 1800 MHz band starting October 2025. This deal allows T2mobile users to access MTN’s network in areas with weaker coverage, enhancing reliability across Nigeria.
“Network assessments revealed significant peak speeds in several states, with downloads reaching 82.3 Mbps in Anambra and 80.0 Mbps in Oyo. In terms of overall user experience, MTN led with browsing speeds of 65.9 Mbps, while T2mobile followed closely at 50.0 Mbps,” the report highlighted.
Despite its advancements, T2mobile still has a relatively small market presence, with 3.18 million subscribers and a 1.8 per cent market share. However, following its rebranding, the company welcomed 460,644 new users between July and November, indicating positive early responses to its service enhancements.
Overall, statistics indicate significant improvements in rural connectivity, with average download speeds rising to 11.0 Mbps from 8.5 Mbps a year prior, narrowing the differences with urban connections, which average 20.5 Mbps. Nevertheless, upload speeds in rural areas remain behind, averaging only 6.1 Mbps, highlighting ongoing infrastructure challenges.
These updates reflect the increasing competition among operators aiming to enhance services in underserved regions, ultimately driving subscriber growth in these areas.
