New owners, new hope? Inside 9mobile’s struggle to stay relevant

When Etisalat – now 9mobile – entered the Nigerian telecom market in 2008, the country’s 64 million total subscriber base was dominated by three operators: MTN Nigeria, Zain Nigeria (now Airtel), and Globacom. Despite the fierce competition, the UAE-based company identified a gap in the market—unserved young subscribers. To capture this audience, Etisalat partnered with Banky W, a rising…