T2mobile has emerged as the best-performing mobile network in Nigeria’s rural areas for the fourth quarter of 2025, recording an average download speed of 24.9 Mbps, based on new data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Ookla.
The performance marks a notable rebound for the operator, formerly known as 9mobile, and signals a shift in competitive dynamics within Nigeria’s rural connectivity landscape, an area central to the country’s digital inclusion agenda.
How Nigeria’s Mobile Networks Compared in Rural Areas
According to the report, T2mobile opened a wide performance gap over its competitors:
- T2mobile: 24.9 Mbps
- MTN Nigeria: 15.8 Mbps
- Airtel Nigeria: 10.6 Mbps
- Globacom: 9.5 Mbps
T2mobile’s results were well above the national rural average, reinforcing its growing reputation for strong, localised network delivery outside major cities.
Factors Behind T2mobile’s Network Revival
The improved rural performance follows a strategic reset after the operator’s rebrand. T2mobile has focused on network modernisation, infrastructure partnerships, and spectrum access to rebuild competitiveness.
Huawei-Led Infrastructure Upgrade
A major driver of the turnaround is a multi-million-dollar agreement with Huawei, aimed at strengthening network capacity, stability, and coverage across T2mobile’s operating regions.
Spectrum Leasing and National Roaming Deal with MTN
T2mobile also entered a three-year spectrum lease agreement with MTN Nigeria, which took effect on October 1, 2025. Under the arrangement, T2mobile leases:
- 5 MHz in the 900 MHz band
- 15 MHz in the 1800 MHz band
The deal enables national roaming, allowing subscribers to access MTN’s infrastructure where T2mobile coverage is limited, significantly improving nationwide service reliability.
Strong Performance in Select States
Quality of Experience (QoE) data for Q4 shows exceptional peak speeds in certain regions:
- Anambra State: 82.3 Mbps
- Oyo State: 80.0 Mbps
Across broader network assessments, T2mobile recorded an average download speed of 18.5 Mbps, outperforming Globacom (9.6 Mbps) and Airtel Nigeria (15.9 Mbps).
While MTN led overall user experience rankings, T2mobile followed closely, reflecting the positive impact of its spectrum-sharing arrangement.
For browsing speed scores:
- MTN Nigeria: 65.9
- T2mobile: 50.0
Subscriber Numbers Show Early Signs of Recovery
Although T2mobile still holds a relatively small 1.8% share of Nigeria’s telecoms market, subscriber trends suggest gradual recovery.
- Active subscribers: 3.18 million
- Net additions (July–November 2025): 460,644
The increase coincides with the operator’s market re-entry and repositioning following its July 2025 rebrand.
Rural Internet Speeds Are Improving Nationwide
The NCC and Ookla data also indicate broader progress in rural connectivity:
- Average rural download speed (Q4 2025): 11.0 Mbps
- Rural average in Q4 2024: 8.5 Mbps
- Urban average speed: 20.5 Mbps
Improvement has been strongest in rural communities located near major transport corridors, where high-capacity urban infrastructure extends into surrounding towns.
Urban centres such as Ibadan, Benin City, Enugu, and Jos are increasingly driving spillover connectivity into nearby rural areas, gradually reducing access disparities.
Upload Speeds Remain a Key Challenge
Despite gains in download performance, a persistent 40% gap remains between urban and rural upload speeds.
- Average rural upload speed: 6.1 Mbps
This shortfall limits activities such as video conferencing, cloud storage, and digital content creation, underscoring the need for further targeted investment in rural networks.
Challenges such as sparser infrastructure, higher rollout costs, and lower population density continue to constrain upload performance.
Implications for Nigeria’s Telecoms Industry
T2mobile’s rural network leadership positions it as a credible challenger as competition shifts toward quality of coverage rather than sheer subscriber scale.
With smartphone usage and digital financial services expanding beyond cities, operators that prioritise rural-focused infrastructure investment and strategic collaborations are likely to gain long-term advantages.
While urban networks remain highly competitive, rural connectivity is steadily improving, and sustained momentum could finally begin to close Nigeria’s long-standing digital divide.
