The telco, which recently underwent a major rebrand from 9mobile following its acquisition by LH Telecommunication, confirmed that it has discharged all obligations to its advertising agencies through an installment payment plan brokered by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON).

Cleaning the Balance Sheet: The T2 Recovery Roadmap

The settlement is a critical milestone in T2’s “four-phase recovery roadmap” (Stabilization, Modernization, Transformation, and Growth).

For years, the telco, previously Etisalat Nigeria, struggled with a shrinking subscriber base (dropping to ~3.2 million by early 2025) and mounting local debts that strained its relationship with the creative ecosystem.

As of mid-2025, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) launched an investigation into 9mobile (now rebranded as T2) regarding an alleged debt of ₦1 billion owed to various advertising agencies

The Mediation: Led by COO, John Vasikaran, the T2 executive team visited ARCON HQ yesterday to formally close the matter.

The Impact: By clearing these liabilities, T2 is signaling to the market that it is “investment-ready” as it leverages its new roaming agreement with MTN Nigeria to regain market share.

A Strategic “Thank You” to ARCON

The visit serves as a high-profile endorsement for Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, the director-general of ARCON, at a time when the regulator is facing intense pushback from the Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN).

While ADVAN has recently escalated its legal battle against ARCON, filing a fresh lawsuit and an “Open Letter to the President” claiming that the regulator’s interference in private contracts is killing business confidence, T2 is offering a counter-narrative.

“The Council’s facilitative role was instrumental in achieving an amicable settlement that preserved business relationships while honoring contractual obligations,” EMTS representatives stated during the visit.

The Ad-Industry Tug-of-War (2025/2026)

The ‘Digital’ Leverage

From a tech perspective, this is about the health of the supply chain. Advertising agencies are the “marketing engine” for telcos.

By utilizing ARCON’s AISOP (Advertising Industry Standard of Practice), which mandates a maximum 45-day payment cycle, T2 is attempting to distance itself from its legacy of insolvency.

However, the industry remains split. While T2 praises ARCON for “professionalizing the sector,” other multinationals (under the ADVAN umbrella) view these same regulations as a breach of constitutional freedom of contract.

He brings to 9mobile a wealth of experience, with more than 20 years in the African telecommunications industry.

In his role as Chief Operations Officer, he will provide strategic leadership for the operations across Technical, IT, Sales, Commercial Planning, Customer Care, Marketing Communications, and PMO in line with the current trends and EMTS’ strategic vision.

His most recent role was Director of Business Development and Sales for Ribbon Communications, which provides software, IP, and optical networking solutions for service providers, enterprises, and critical infrastructure sectors. There, he played a pivotal role in driving growth and innovation.

On the appointment of the new Chief Operations Officer, Juergen Peschel, 9mobile CEO stated, “We are thrilled to welcome Vasikaran to the 9mobile family. His extensive experience, especially in Nigeria and Africa, makes him the ideal leader to steer our operations in line with current industry trends and our strategic vision. We believe that with his addition, 9mobile will continue to provide world-class services to our valued customers.”

Speaking on his appointment, Vasikaran said: “It gives me great joy to join 9mobile, a visionary brand and trailblazer in the telecommunications industry. I look forward to working with the team towards maintaining its position as a leading telecommunications provider in Nigeria, and also seeking new ways to drive growth and meet the evolving needs of our customers while staying at the forefront of technological advancements in the telecommunications sector”.

Educated at prestigious institutions, Vasikaran holds a Master’s in Business Analytics with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning from Harvard Business School, USA.

John Vasikaran also possesses a Master of Business Administration degree with a dual focus on Finance and Marketing, a Master of Social Sciences degree in Industrial Psychology, and a Bachelor of Commerce degree, all earned at Loyola College, Chennai, India.