T2, Nigeria’s underdog in the telecommunications game, has been through all sorts with corporate drama and technical hiccups. But guess what? They’re back in action, and their international roaming service is live again, ready to reconnect Nigerians abroad with home.
Let’s rewind a bit. T2, previously known as 9mobile, hit rock bottom when its former parent company, UAE-based Etisalat, pulled out in 2017 due to a staggering $1.2 billion debt. This exit triggered a messy spiral of ownership battles and internal squabbles that left the company struggling to keep its head above water. From its glory days as Etisalat Nigeria, when it boasted over 22 million subscribers, T2’s customer base plummeted to just 2.4 million by June 2025, a loss of about 89% from its peak. The culprit? A crumbling network, spotty coverage, and slow internet that frustrated users into jumping ship.
But T2’s story is one of resilience. In 2023, Lighthouse Telecoms, led by Nigerian investor Thomas Etuh, swooped in with a 95.5% stake acquisition, kicking off a four-phase recovery plan: Stabilisation, Modernisation, Transformation, and Growth. Fast forward to July 2025, and T2 struck a game-changing three-year national roaming deal with MTN Nigeria, the country’s telecom giant. This partnership lets T2 subscribers tap into MTN’s robust network, boosting coverage across Nigeria without the hefty cost of building new infrastructure. The results? T2 added 290,601 subscribers in July 2025 alone, marking its first growth in nearly two years and bumping its market share from 1.4% to 1.6%.
Now, the cherry on top: T2 has reactivated its international roaming service after a rough patch. While some subscribers reported issues with roaming in places like the US, UK, and Canada as recently as mid-2024, recent social media chatter and confirmation by the author suggests the service is back online in some regions, with users in Canada, South Africa and the UK spotting service bars again. However, it’s not all smooth sailing, some customers still complain about inconsistent performance, and T2’s customer service has advised reaching out for troubleshooting. The exact timeline of the full reactivation is murky, but the company’s recent strides, including a multi-million-dollar deal with Huawei to modernize its core network, signal a commitment to getting it right.
T2’s comeback isn’t just about a new orange logo or a fancy rebrand (bye-bye, 9mobile green!). It’s about proving they can hang with the big dogs – MTN, Airtel, and Globacom – in Nigeria’s cutthroat telecom market. With a refreshed leadership team, a focus on digital-first solutions like cloud tech and AI, and a promise to deliver “speed, smart living, and trust,” T2 is betting big on winning back customers.
Will T2’s roaming revival and network upgrades finally silence the doubters? Only time will tell, but for now, this telecom phoenix is rising, and Nigerians at home and abroad are cheering for its comeback. Got a T2 SIM? Let us know how the roaming’s working for you!
