Lebara Nigeria is introducing an innovative pre-launch service that lets prospective subscribers reserve phone numbers with a “significant link” to their personal lives, ahead of the UK-based mobile operator’s planned entry into the Nigerian telecoms market.
Through its newly launched Number Reservation Portal, customers can secure digits from the company’s 0724 series, choosing combinations tied to birthdays, anniversaries, or other meaningful patterns, before commercial operations begin later this year.
Lebara Nigeria, a subsidiary of London-based Lebara Group, plans to launch services in the third quarter of 2025, entering a market currently dominated by MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9Mobile. MTN Nigeria holds 52% market share while Airtel controls 34%, with former challengers Globacom and 9mobile having lost significant ground.
Lebara Nigeria, a subsidiary of London-based Lebara Group, plans to launch services in the third quarter of 2025, entering a market currently dominated by MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9Mobile. MTN Nigeria holds 52% market share while Airtel controls 34%, with former challengers Globacom and 9mobile having lost significant ground.
Lebara Nigeria: MVNO to combine personalisation with technology
The portal works in a straightforward manner. Users visit the website, check if their desired number is available, and reserve it in just a few steps. The system covers various preferences, from memorable date sequences to culturally significant digits or easy-to-remember patterns.
According to checks on the portal, the service limits each person to one number reservation per National Identification Number (NIN). Lebara Nigeria says that a single NIN cannot be used for multiple reservations at this time.
Mary O. Akin-Adesokan, Chief Operating Officer of Lebara Nigeria, says the company wants to combine personalisation with technology.
After closing ₦500m licensing deal, Lebara Nigeria ready to launch ‘affordable’ MVNO service, VAS2Net says
“Our objective is to synergise personalisation with cutting-edge technology, thereby empowering customers to reserve numbers that align with their digital identity,” Akin-Adesokan says.
“The Number Reservation Portal leverages advanced algorithmic matching and intuitive user interfaces to facilitate seamless number selection, exemplifying Lebara’s commitment to harnessing digital innovation to enhance mobile connectivity experiences. By integrating AI driven insights and user centric design, we’re redefining the paradigm of personalized telecommunications solutions,” she adds.
The move represents Lebara’s first major customer-facing initiative as it prepares to challenge established operators in Nigeria’s competitive telecommunications market.
Lebara operates as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) in multiple countries including the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland and Australia. The company was founded in 2001 by UK-based entrepreneurs Ratheesan Yoganathan, Rasiah Ranjith Leon and Baskaran Kandiah, with the Lebara name created from the first two letters of each founder’s name.
MVNOs typically lease network infrastructure from established mobile operators rather than building their own cell towers and equipment, allowing them to offer services at competitive prices. Technology Times has earlier reported that Lebara partnered with local firm VAS2Nets Technologies Limited which paid ₦500 million in March 2024 for its 10-year MVNO licence, becoming the final licensee before the telecoms regulator suspended further licensing in the category. The company has partnered with Lebara through a brand licensing agreement to launch the Nigerian operation.
When Lebara launches, it plans to challenge traditional airtime sales by offering voice bundles and data packages tailored to specific user needs. This strategy targets Nigeria’s telecoms market, which serves over 200 million mobile subscribers across the country.
The company faces significant competition in a market where established players have spent years building customer loyalty and network coverage. However, no new mobile operator has entered Nigeria’s market for years, potentially creating opportunities for fresh competition.
As at the time of this report, the company has not yet announced specific launch dates for its full commercial operations.
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