Nigerian telecom provider T2, formerly 9mobile, has made a daring comeback to Nigeria’s cutthroat telecom market by forming a strategic alliance with the multinational ICT behemoth Huawei to update its core network infrastructure.
T2 said the deal was worth millions of dollars, but the exact amount was not revealed.
After years of turmoil during which its customer base fell from over 23 million to less than 3 million as its network deteriorated, the company recently rebranded. This deal comes after years of upheaval.
The statement claims that Huawei will restructure T2’s core systems as part of the deal, which was revealed at a signing ceremony in Lagos, to increase capacity, resilience, and security.
T2’s 4-phase strategic roadmap
The company stated that the project is a component of its four-phase strategic roadmap: Stabilisation, Modernisation, Transformation, and Growth.
This roadmap aims to restore the company’s competitiveness and position it for long-term Growth.
According to T2 CEO Obafemi Banigbe, the deal is “a catalyst” for the company’s rebirth and goes beyond a technical upgrade.
“Huawei has been a trusted partner throughout our journey, and this next chapter reaffirms our shared commitment to innovation, reliability, and excellence. With Huawei by our side, we’re not just upgrading our network, we’re future-proofing it,” he said.
Executives present at the signing included Banigbe, Chief Operating Officer, John Vasikaran, Chief Technical & Information Officer, Ayodeji Adedeji, Vice President Corporate Service, Ifeloju Alakija, and Vice President Brands & Communication, Seni Ogunkola.
Huawei’s commitment to the Nigerian market
Additionally, Huawei reiterated its dedication to the Nigerian market. According to Jiang Junyong, CEO of Huawei Nigeria Carrier Business, the collaboration will provide top-notch solutions to assist T2 in creating a “resilient, high-performance core network that will support next-generation services and long-term growth. ”
As T2 repositions itself with a new corporate and consumer identity, the modernisation signifies the start of a multi-phase investment strategy.
At a time when Nigerian consumers are calling for faster, more dependable digital connectivity, industry analysts say the initiative could increase the company’s nationwide coverage and enhance service delivery.
The project should be finished in the upcoming months, paving the way for T2 to return to Nigeria’s telecom industry.
T2 added 290,601 new subscribers in July
T2 added 290,601 new subscribers in July, marking its first subscriber gain of the year. This was due to the company’s recent infrastructure sharing agreement with MTN, Nigeria’s biggest network operator.
The telecom operator, whose customer base had been steadily declining, saw its first monthly subscriber gain in almost a year.
In July, 9mobile became the sole operator among the four MNOs to add new users during a month in which Globacom, MTN, and Airtel all experienced subscriber losses.