T2mobile, formerly 9mobile, delivered the fastest rural mobile network speeds in Nigeria in the fourth quarter of 2025, outperforming larger rivals MTN, Airtel and Globacom, according to new data from the Nigerian Communications Commission and speed-testing firm Ookla.
The operator recorded an average rural download speed of 24.9 Mbps, ahead of MTN’s 15.8 Mbps, Airtel’s 10.6 Mbps and Globacom’s 9.5 Mbps, marking a sharp turnaround for the smaller carrier as it seeks to rebuild market share.
According to the data, the improved performance follows a series of infrastructure and spectrum deals aimed at strengthening coverage.
T2mobile recently signed a multi-million-dollar network upgrade agreement with Huawei and secured a three-year spectrum lease from MTN, gaining access to 5 MHz in the 900 MHz band and 15 MHz in the 1800 MHz band from October 2025.
The arrangement allows its subscribers to roam on MTN’s network in weak-coverage areas, improving reliability nationwide.
“Network tests also showed strong peak speeds in some states, with downloads hitting 82.3 Mbps in Anambra and 80.0 Mbps in Oyo. On overall user experience, MTN ranked first for browsing performance at 65.9 Mbps, while T2mobile followed at 50.0 Mbps,” the data shows.
Despite its gains, T2mobile remains a small player with 3.18 million subscribers and a 1.8 percent market share. However, it added 460,644 new users between July and November after its rebrand, suggesting early traction from service improvements.
Industry data indicate broader progress in rural connectivity. Average rural download speeds rose to 11.0 Mbps from 8.5 Mbps a year earlier, narrowing the gap with urban areas, which average 20.5 Mbps.
Still, upload speeds in rural locations lag at 6.1 Mbps, underscoring persistent infrastructure deficits.
The latest figures highlight growing competition in underserved areas as operators target rural expansion to drive the next phase of subscriber growth.
Share