What Network Is 0806 in Nigeria?

You are about to make a call, and the number starts with “0806.” But here you are with some questions on your mind: 0806 is what network in Nigeria? What network is 0806 in Nigeria’s network provider prefixes?

The 0806 is an additional numbering system implemented by MTN (Mobile Telephone Network) after it exhausted its initial numbering system, “0803.”

In this piece, you will learn about the significance of specific mobile number prefixes and understand more about Nigerian mobile networks. Additionally, you will understand why network prefixes are useful. Let’s dive right in!

Overview of Nigerian Network Providers
What network is 0806 in Nigeria?
Why Network Prefixes Are Useful
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Recommendation
References

Overview of Nigerian Network Providers

In answering the question of what 0806 is in Nigeria’s network provider prefixes, we hope to also give you a better understanding of the network providers in Nigeria.

Every Nigerian knows for a fact that there are four teleco (telecommunication) companies in Nigeria and “others.” Okay, that was just for humour, but you get the drift. That still doesn’t change the fact that these four telecos are the titans in the telecoms sector in Nigeria, though.

Also read: MTN Momo CEO Resigns to Explore a New Opportunity

While we have other contenders in the telecoms landscape in Nigeria, the major telecos with the largest market shares are: MTN, GLO, Airtel, and 9Mobile.

There is evidence to support this fact in the form of statistics and data. Here is an excerpt from Statista.

As of March 2024, MTN was Nigeria’s largest mobile telecoms operator, with roughly 37 percent of the market share. Airtel and Globacom followed directly, holding about 29 percent and 28 percent of the share, respectively.

Market share of mobile telecommunication operators in Nigeria as of March 2024
Source: Statista

The stat above shows the dominance of these telecos in the Nigerian telecommunications sector. Their influence, over the years, has been unparalleled. Interestingly, among these four, MTN holds an immensely unparalleled influence in the market. This is further corroborated by the September 2024 report of GSM Market Share by Operator released by the NCC (Nigeria Communications Commission).

The report reveals MTN’s dominance in the market share. We will examine the report below and also examine a bit more info about the mobile network operators.

Also read: MTN Defends Itself Against Vodacom Legal Action

MTN

MTN is the biggest player in the telecos sector in Nigeria. A recent report from the NCC as of September 2024 shows that MTN has a substantial 50.5% share of the market share in the telecoms sector in Nigeria.

One might think this significant increase is an improvement from previous years with respect to the number of subscribers. The reality is, MTN and other major telecos suffered a significant blow due to the NCC-NIN linkage mandate.

MTN suffered a decline from 85 million subscribers in October 2023 to 78 million as of September 2024.

In terms of the services offered, according to the reports on mtn.com, MTN provides voice, data, fintech, digital, enterprise, wholesale and API services to 288 million customers in 17 markets.

Airtel

Airtel is one of the major players in the telecom industry. It offers the following:

Voice.
Data.
Mobile money.
Digital Labs.
Airtel Business.
Data Centres.

Airtel operates in 14 markets, primarily in East Africa and Central and West Africa. It is also the second-largest telecoms operator in Africa.

It’s had its fair share of the NCC-NIN mandate. Consequently, it also experienced a drop in its subscriber base in Nigeria. According to the report released by NCC in 2024 September, Airtel declined from 63.36 million subscribers to 53.75 million subscribers between October 2023 and September 2024.

Also read: MTN Nigeria Recovers ₦12.5 billion Lost to Mobile Money Service Glitch

Glo

Global Communication (Glo) is a multinational telecommunications company funded by Mike Adenuga on August 29, 2003. According to Wikipedia:

In 2011, GLO became the first telecommunications company to build an $800 million high-capacity fibre-optic cable known as Glo-1, a submarine cable from the United Kingdom to Nigeria. It is the first successful submarine cable from the United Kingdom to Nigeria.

In its organization, Globacom has the following strategic business units:

Glo mobile
Glo Broad Access
Glo Gateway
Glo-1.

Glo enjoyed a substantial subscriber base until recently when it suffered a significant and mind-puzzling decline, having a very sharp and outrageous drop from 61.5 million to 19.15 million subscribers, as of the September 2024 report. Whereas, in December 2018, it had 45 million subscribers, claiming the title of the second largest network operator in Nigeria. In October 2023, it had a subscriber base of 62.18 million.

The decline it experienced in its subscriber base in 2024 can be undoubtedly attributed to the NCC-NIN mandate. Quite an outrageous number of lines were deactivated from this exercise. Of all the major telecos players, Glo suffered the most from this exercise, as can be seen in its sharp decline.

9mobile

9mobile, formerly Etisalat, was a subsidiary of a UAE company. However, due to heavy debt and inability to meet up with payment obligations, the company was acquired in 2017 and renamed 9mobile. 9mobile is a Nigerian private limited liability company.

Like every other teleco, 9mobile offers data services, voice, call, etc. The company’s telecommunication services include international roaming, postpaid and corporate, and mobile broadband across the voice, data, and enterprise services spectrum, thereby enabling its customers to be provided with a broad range of telecommunication services nationwide in the 900 and 1800 MHz bands.

Also read: How To Transfer Airtime from MTN to Telkom in South Africa in 2025

9mobile also suffered from the NCC-NIN mandate, which impacted its market shares in the telecoms sector. According to the report released by the NCC, 9mobile experienced a decline from having 11.64 million subscribers in October 2023 to having 3.64 million in September 2024, a huge 69% (approximately) drop.

Market share by operator (GSM) September 2024
Source: ncc.gov.ng

In the next section, we will examine the question of the day, “What network is 0806 in Nigeria?”

Some years back, MTN exhausted the entire numbering system in its “0803” code. However, it was not yet satisfied with the number of subscribers it has. Consequently, it started a fresh numbering system with the “0806.” And that’s why, today, we have MTN numbers beginning with 0806. It could have ended in 0803, but MTN wasn’t done.

MTN is a force to reckon with in the telecoms sector of Nigeria; imagine what it would seem like to be unable to purchase one for yourself as an ardent lover.

It (MTN) had to find a way to mitigate such experiences, hence the launch of the “0806.” So, the next time you think: What network is 0806 in Nigeria’s network provider prefixes? The answer is simple; as explained, mobile numbers beginning with 0806 in Nigeria are MTN numbers.

Also read: MTN to Remain in Cameroon Despite Court-ordered Seizure of its Bank Accounts

Why Network Prefixes Are Useful

Every country has its own country calling code (also known as a prefix code); that’s what helps to identify where a call will be routed to whenever an international call is being initiated. The Nigerian prefix code is +234, while the UK’s is +44.

When you make a call from your country to another country, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) needs the country code of the destination country to be able to connect to their telecom carriers.

Without this prefix, it’s like setting off on a journey without a destination. Ridiculous, don’t you think?

Now, let’s talk about mobile network prefixes. In Nigeria, these numbers are usually the first four numbers that begin a full number (without the country code). This set of numbers helps to ascertain the mobile network carrier that should be connected to when you initiate a call.

There are several of them that point to distinct telecom carriers in Nigeria. An example is the 0803 that points to MTN. 0802 is an example of a mobile network prefix that points to Airtel.

These prefixes are important because they help route the call to the correct telecom carrier in the country.

Frequently Asked Questions

What network is 0806 in Nigeria’s network provider prefixes?

0806 is an MTN number

What network is 0807 in Nigeria’s network provider prefixes?

0806 is an Airtel number

What is the calling code of Nigeria?

The country calling code of Nigeria is +234

Conclusion

You may not need to know the telecom carrier a phone number belongs to in order to be able to make a phone call to it. However, it is an intriguing thing to know as it provides certain advantages, such as carrier charges, among others.

Prefixes of mobile numbers are encoded information that give details about the mobile number in question, and if you have come thus far, when it comes to 0803, you hopefully no longer ask the question, “What network is 0806 in Nigeria’s network provider prefixes?” because we have examined that in this article.

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