Amid stiff competition from the mobile network operators comprising the likes of MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile, Internet Service Providers in Nigeria (ISPs) have continued to play significant roles in expanding access to the internet for Nigerians.
With unique services such as Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH) and satellite broadband, among others, these ISPs are expected to help the country achieve the target of 70 % broadband penetration by 2025 as set in the Nigeria National Broadband Plan (NNBP 2020-2025).
To that end, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been licensing more ISPs in recent times, bringing the total number to 253 as of November 2023.
While the ISPs’ share of the internet market in Nigeria is quite small compared with that of the 4 GSM operators, their impact is quite significant as they help in taking the high bandwidth capacity on the shores of the country to the last mile through their services.
The latest data released by the NCC shows that a total of 115 ISPs whose data were made available had a total of 213,876 active customers at the end of September this year.
Interestingly, the data shows that Elon Musk’s Starlink, which is one of the newest entrants into the market has now become one of the dominant players in this segment as it is now among the top 4 ISPs in Nigeria by customer number as of Q3 2023.
Starlink is attracting more Nigerian customers even though its hardware cost and monthly subscription charge are more expensive compared to those of older service providers in the market.
Aside from Starlink, a few other ISPs made their way into the top 10 in Q3 by increasing their customer number, thereby displacing others.
Going by the latest NCC data, here are the top 10 ISPs in Nigeria as of Q3 2023, based on their number of active subscribers:
10. Cobranet Limited (3,401)
Launched in 2003, Cobranet Limited is rated as a leading Internet Service and data provider in Nigeria. The company provides every segment of Nigerian society with a reliable and secure Internet Service and Data management solution for the digital universe.
Cobranet currently offers corporate internet plans for organizations and medium-sized businesses over a state-of-the-art -radio network in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt as well as residential plans. To occupy the 10th position, Cobranet recorded 3,401 active customers as of Q3, 2023.
9. Suburban Broadband Ltd (3,627)
Suburban Broadband Ltd is a next-generation multimedia service provider with fiber optics networks in major cities in Nigeria, including Lagos and Abuja.
Its products include subscription access to premium content, TV, Internet, and Voice services, as well as connected homes, security, and utility management solutions.
As one of the largest ISPs in Nigeria by subscriber number, the company had 3,627 active customers as of Q3.
8. Radical Technology Network Ltd (3,647)
Radical Technology Network Ltd is a Nigerian ISP with its head office located in Lagos and with a presence in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, and Onitsha.
Over the years, the company has ensured the highest levels of customer responsiveness and service quality, a trait that has earned it a long-standing relationship with its customers and made it one of the most reliable ISPs in Nigeria.
Radical Technology Network had a total of 3,647 customers at the end of September this year, which placed it in the 9th position.
7. Ngcom Limited (3,956)
Ngcom is a network company licensed by the NCC to provide internet services across Nigeria. The company is currently one of the country’s leading ISPs offering unlimited internet service to residential and business users.
Ngcom said its limitless access offer has absolutely no data or time caps and it is delivered through fiber optic and fixed wireless.
According to NCC’s data, the company’s active customer number stood at 3,956 as of September this year.
6. Cyberspace Network Limited (4,130)
Cyberspace was founded in 1995 and commenced operation the same year as a wholly-owned Nigerian Company. With a mission to provide excellent value-added ICT services and cutting-edge networking solutions, the company has been able to distinguish itself as a complete network and software solution provider in the industry with its state-of-the-art and world-class internet protocol (IP) infrastructure.
In 2014, the company deployed its 4G LTE network infrastructure with a promise to deliver 10x more speed, mobility, and security to its customers. Its active customer base stood at 4,130 at the end of September.
5. VDT Communications (6,611)
VDT is a licensed Private Network service provider specializing in the provision of Enterprise-Wide Area Network (WAN) and Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) link connectivity using Fiber Optic and Wireless Communication infrastructure and access networks. VDT is a Broadband communication service provider to corporate organizations with leased Fiber Optic trunks to the thirty-six (36) states in Nigeria and the FCT, where it has 59 Point-Of-Presence (POP) and a complement of technical support staffers. The ISP’s active customer base was 6,611 at the end of Q3.
4. Starlink (11,207)
Making it to the top 10 for the first time, Starlink jumped ahead of several older ISPs in Nigeria to occupy the number 4 spot. Although its ISP license was issued by the NCC in May 2022, the Space X internet company made its official entry into the Nigerian market in January 2023.
As a satellite-based broadband internet service provider, Starlink’s launch in Nigeria was celebrated for its ability to provide service in any part of Nigeria. However, the service does not come cheap, hence, it remains accessible only to businesses and high-income individuals.
Despite this, Starlink’s customer base has grown rapidly in Nigeria over the past few months. As of Q3 2023, the company’s active customer base stood at 11,207.
3. IPNX (14,871)
ipNX occupies the third position in terms of customer numbers among licensed ISPs in Nigeria. The company is one of the country’s fastest-growing ISPs, serving a multitude of needs across enterprises, small businesses, and residents with innovative, world-class services. ipNX is a pioneer and a leading Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH) operator in Nigeria.
The company had a total of 14,871 customers at the end of September 2023.
2. Tizeti (19,126)
Tizeti provides high-speed broadband internet to Residences, businesses, Events, and Conferences and deploys public Wi-Fi hotspots across Africa.
The company is leveraging the large wireless capacity available with Wi-fi and plummeting the cost of solar panels to create a low CAPEX/OPEX network of owned & operated towers to offer disruptive, customer-friendly pricing for unlimited internet service across Africa.
According to NCC’s database, the company is the second-largest ISP in Nigeria in terms of subscriber number as of Q3 2023 as it had 19,126 customers.
1. Spectranet (113,747)
With a wide margin ahead of others in terms of active subscribers, Spectranet remained the number one ISP in Nigeria with the largest customer base.
Licensed in 2009 to promote Internet services across Nigeria, Spectranet was among the first Internet Service Providers to launch 4G LTE Internet service in Nigeria and aims to be a leader in the Internet Services space.
The latest data on the NCC’s website shows that this company had the largest number of connected and active customers out of all the ISPs licensed by the NCC. Its active customers stood at 113,747 at the end of Q3 2023
Bottomline
Several factors including the state of operation, and the cost of service, influence the number of customers the ISPs acquire.
The competition with the mobile network operators, especially with the launch of 5G service by MTN and Airtel, means that the core ISPs will have to offer more attractive packages to increase their share of the internet market.
