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By Chinenye Anuforo
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After months of traumatising service delivery, 9mobile recently morphed to T2 Mobile, as the company began its journey to corporate redemption.
However, the development has elicited mixed reactions, with stakeholders, including the government and telecommunications subscribers, demanding a concrete change in terms of service delivery.
While the company’s new identity is seen as a positive step, stakeholders are united in their demand that the change must ride above a cosmetic makeover and genuinely commit to innovation and service excellence.
To regain lost ground and reignite its love in the hearts of its fleeing customers, experts advised the telecom firm to look at dropping tariffs on calls and data, among other things.
The Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, during the rebranding event, urged the company to focus on tangible improvements.
”My message to T2 (formerly 9mobile) is simple: let this rebrand be more than a change of colours or a new logo, but let it be a renewed commitment to innovation, to service excellence, and to the millions of Nigerians whose lives and businesses depend on your network every single day,” he said.
This reiterated the government’s perspective that the telecommunications sector’s health is critical to the nation’s digital economy.
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Also, the subscribers, whom T2 Mobile seeks to win back, believe the name change is a call to action and demand that the company’s new identity be backed by tangible improvements in service quality.
The President of the National Association of Telecom Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMs), Deolu Ogunbajo, in a telephone interview with Daily Sun, emphasised that for T2 Mobile to recover lost ground, it must offer unique service different from what is currently obtainable in the market. He specifically called for a reduction in voice and data tariffs to attract new customers.
On his own part, the President of the Association of Telephone Cable TV & Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS), Sina Bilesanmi, added that the company must wear its thinking cap and become more innovative and customer-centric, even suggesting simple gestures like sending birthday and anniversary greetings to make customers feel valued. He also stressed the importance of T2 collaborating with industry stakeholders for growth.
T2 Mobile, under its new leadership, has acknowledged the challenges.
The Chief Executive Officer, Obafemi Banigbe, described the change as a total evolution of its original identity.
“T2 represents our next chapter. It is a symbol of our renewed commitment to innovation, resilience, and a deepened focus on customer experience. We are building a brand that is ready to thrive in the digital economy.”
The Chairman, Thomas Etuh, thanked stakeholders and customers for their patience, stating, “We are rising together again.
Together, with you, we are reclaiming all lost grounds.” The company’s new four-phase recovery plan, which includes a strategic infrastructure-sharing agreement with MTN Nigeria, is intended to address these concerns and demonstrate a commitment to service improvement.
The rebranding to T2 marks the company’s second name change since 2017 when it transitioned from Etisalat to 9mobile after a loan dispute. This latest move, following the 2023 acquisition by Lighthouse Telecoms, signals the company’s entry into a new transformation phase of its recovery roadmap, with a stated focus on speed, smart living, digital lifestyle, and trust. The success of this new chapter, however, appears to be heavily dependent on the company’s ability to meet the high expectations now placed upon it by its customers and key government officials.
Despite these assurances, the industry remains on high alert. With years of subscriber losses and operational challenges under the 9mobile brand, the pressure is on T2 Mobile to prove its new identity is a promise of a better future, not just a fresh coat of paint. The success of its new transformation phase will depend entirely on its ability to deliver on the expectations of a demanding public and a watchful government.
