…Nigeria has 264 ISPs, only 108 active in June 2023
…ISPs has only 194,012 active customers
As part of efforts to ensure Nigeria achieves the implementation of its National Broadband Plan (NNBP 2020-2025), there has been a swell in the number of companies licenced to provide internet service across the country.
The Internet Service Providers (ISPs), separate from the mobile network operators, will be playing a critical role in taking the high bandwidth capacity on the shores of the country to the last mile.
Through services such as Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH), these ISPs are expected to help the country achieve the target of 70 % broadband penetration by 2025. To that end, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been licencing more ISPs in recent times, bringing the total number to 264 as of June 2023.
Suffice it to clarify that the ISPs, operating in their license domain differently from the mobile network operators, are serving mainly corporate organisations and homes, as opposed to the likes of MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile, who are targeting the entire spectrum of internet users in the country.
It is, therefore, not surprising that while the MNOs were counting over 150 million active internet subscriptions as of Q1 2023, the ISPs were still counting thousands of subscriptions. According to NCC’s total of 108 active ISPs, whose data were made available had a total of 194,012 active customers at the end of March this year.
The latest NCC’s data reveals the position of the 108 active ISPs in terms of customer number and points of presence in the country, and here are the top 10 ISPs in Nigeria based on their number of active subscribers as of Q1 2023:
10. Dotmac Technologies Ltd
Established in 2008 as an ICT company with a wide range of services, Dotmac Technologies Ltd is one of the leading Internet Service Providers covering Lagos and Abuja. The company is delivering broadband internet via Fiber to the Home Technology.
Number of customers: 2,158
Points of presence: 27.
9. WirelessNg International Ltd (formerly Alfa O & O Ventures Ltd)
WirelessNg International Limited is a Nigerian company founded in 2005 to provide high-quality information technology solutions and business solutions, among other things.
The company delivers network services such as the deployment of ICT infrastructure, network design and implementation, enterprise solutions, video conferencing, and high-speed internet and intranet. As of Q1 2023, this company was one of the top 10 Internet Service Providers in Nigeria judging by its number of customers.
Number of customers: 3,228
Points of presence: 12.
8. Cobranet Limited
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.
Number of customers: 3,387
Points of presence: 86.
7. Radical Technology Network Ltd
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.
Number of customers: 3,828
Points of presence: 6.
6. Suburban Broadband Ltd
Suburban Broadband Ltd is a next-generation multimedia service provider with fibre 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.
Number of customers: 3,873
Points of presence: 6.
5. Cyberspace Network Limited
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.
Number of customers: 4,048
Points of presence: 130.
4. VDT Communications
VDT is a licenced Private Network service provider specialised 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 organisations with leased Fiber Optic trunks to the thirty-six (36) states in Nigeria and the FCT, where they have 59 Point-Of-Presence (POP) and a complement of technical support staffers.
Number of customers: 7,268
Points of presence: 59.
3. ipNX
ipNX occupies the third position in terms of customer numbers among licenced 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.
Number of customers: 13,953
Points of presence: 55.
2. Tizeti
Tizeti provides high-speed broadband internet to Residences, businesses, Events, and Conferences and deploys public Wi-fi Hotspots at locations 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 right across Africa.
According to NCC’s database, the company is the second-largest ISP in Nigeria in terms of subscriber number as of Q1 2023.
Number of customers: 21,318
Points of presence: 135.
1. Spectranet
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. Licenced 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.
Number of customers: 105,962
Points of presence: 647.
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 continue to play second fiddle to the MNOs when it comes to the number of customers.
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