In a surprising industry shift, telecom giant 9mobile has officially rebranded as T2, sparking both excitement and tough questions.
The company unveiled its new identity on Friday, vowing to become a digital-first operator driven by innovation and customer focus.
Chief Executive Officer Obafemi Banigbe stressed that the change was more than cosmetic.
“We are no longer who we were; we are becoming something greater, more ambitious, and more in tune with the future,” he said.
However, while the announcement drew applause, it also raised concerns about whether T2 can deliver on its ambitious promises in Nigeria’s highly competitive telecom market.
Banigbe explained that under its new identity, T2 plans to harness cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics.
This approach aims to speed up service delivery and provide tailored solutions for Nigeria’s growing population of startups, creatives, and remote workers.
“Our challenges are reminders, not defeats,”
Moreover, he dedicated the rebrand to “every Nigerian dreaming of something better,” urging the nation to “reimagine, rebuild, and relaunch.”
The launch event attracted the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani.
The rebrand follows a major three-year national roaming agreement signed with MTN Nigeria in July.
Approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission, the deal gives T2 customers access to MTN’s wide network nationwide.
Furthermore, this partnership is expected to boost coverage, especially in underserved areas.
The 9mobile rebrands as T2 announcement is the latest chapter in a turbulent history. Launched in 2008 as Etisalat Nigeria, the brand made waves by introducing 3G and later 4G LTE services, attracting millions of young subscribers.
By 2012, the subscriber base had exceeded 15 million. However, mounting debt of $1.2 billion by 2017 forced Etisalat Group’s exit.
