By Olatunbosun Obafemi
The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has announced that it is investigating Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Limited, the company trading as 9mobile, over an alleged advertising debt amounting to N1 billion. This development was disclosed in a statement released by the council on May 30, 2025.
According to ARCON, the investigation was triggered by two petitions it received, both alleging that 9mobile has failed to settle long-standing debts for advertising services rendered. The company, which is a member of the Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), is accused of refusing to pay the agencies it owes, while continuing to engage new advertising agencies without resolving outstanding obligations.
“The agencies owed are left in limbo,” ARCON stated, adding that it would probe the circumstances under which 9mobile moved its advertising account from the affected agencies to others. The goal, it said, is to determine whether proper disengagement protocols were followed and whether there were any breaches of ethical procedures.
The council emphasized that advertising debts typically extend beyond agencies. Media houses and third-party suppliers—who depend on timely payments to sustain their operations—are also heavily impacted. The ripple effects, ARCON warned, could be far-reaching, disrupting the financial health of several businesses in the industry.
“This is economic sabotage capable of inhibiting the Federal Government’s policy of inclusive industry growth and development of the Nigerian advertising industry,” the council declared. It also confirmed it would work alongside anti-graft and other relevant government agencies to ensure that the debt is thoroughly investigated and resolved.
ARCON used the opportunity to reiterate the industry’s payment threshold, which remains fixed at 45 days. It also pledged to uphold ethical standards across the advertising landscape and ensure that no stakeholder gains unfair advantage through unethical competition or non-compliance with industry regulations.
The controversy adds to the growing challenges faced by 9mobile, a telecom operator once regarded as a strong contender in Nigeria’s mobile market. In recent years, the company has struggled with declining subscriber numbers and poor service delivery, largely due to its inability to attract new investments and upgrade its network infrastructure.
As of January 2025, data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) revealed that 9mobile’s active subscriber base had fallen to 3.2 million—down from over 22 million at its peak in 2016.
In July 2024, the company was acquired by LH Telecommunication Limited in a deal approved by the African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIM), 9mobile’s senior creditor. The transaction, which involved the issuance of 95.5% new shares to the new investor, was intended to inject fresh capital into the struggling telco and facilitate a turnaround.
Following the acquisition, a new Board of Directors was appointed to lead the company. However, nearly a year on, many of its customers have yet to see meaningful improvements in service quality, casting doubt on the effectiveness of the rescue effort and raising further questions about the company’s financial and operational stability.
