Why Nigerians Are Switching Mobile Networks in 2025: Coverage Gaps, Data Costs, and Better Deals Drive Hopping Trend
Story, Written By Okafor Joseph August 26,2025
August 26, 2025 — A growing number of Nigerians are abandoning their primary mobile network providers in search of better coverage, cheaper data plans, and more reliable services.
Telecom users across the country are increasingly engaging in what industry experts call “network hopping”—switching between multiple SIM cards or migrating to new networks altogether—due to frequent call drops, slow internet speed, and rising costs.
Subscribers in major cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt report that poor service quality has forced them to carry at least two SIM cards from different operators. Rural communities, where coverage is even more inconsistent, are also seeing a surge in migration to networks promising stronger signals.
Mobile data costs remain a major factor. With the demand for video streaming, online education, and remote work at an all-time high, Nigerians are gravitating toward providers offering promotional bundles, unlimited plans, and cheaper per-gigabyte rates.
Industry analysts say the trend is likely to intensify as competition heats up among the country’s four biggest telecom operators—MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile—each struggling to retain subscribers.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently confirmed that more than 4.5 million subscribers ported their lines in the last 12 months, citing service dissatisfaction and better offers from rival networks.
Experts warn that unless operators improve service quality and expand infrastructure, Nigeria will continue to see a sharp rise in network-hopping behavior, reshaping the telecom market in 2025.
