Following a $1.72 billion debt default and the exit of its parent UAE-based body, Etisalat Nigeria was taken over by creditors in July 2017 and re-branded as ‘9mobile’.

Since then, speculations have continued to mount over who could possibly acquire the telecoms company, especially after the 16-day deadline extension on December 31st. However, according to unconfirmed reports, the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has finally approved the sale of 9mobile to Globacom Nigeria, with January 16, 2018 set for official handover.
If the acquisition comes to fruition, Globacom will add 9mobile’s 17 million subscribers to its network, essentially overtaking MTN as the largest telecoms network in Nigeria.