Top 10 Internet Service Providers in Nigeria by customer number

The Internet Service Providers (ISPs) continue to play a critical role in bringing connectivity to the last mile in Nigeria. With huge bandwidth capacity at the shores of Nigeria, courtesy of the various international fibre optic cables such as WACS, Glo1, MainOne, among others, Nigerians would have been thirsty in the midst of an ocean without the ISPs that are distributing this capacity to the users.

The ISPs, operating in their own licence domain different 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 individual mobile users.

This list of top Internet Service Providers (ISPs) excludes Mobile Network Operators. It is, therefore, not surprising that while the MNOs are having around 150 million subscriptions, the ISPs are counting hundreds of thousands of subscribers. AS of Q1 2022, the total connected subscribers of the ISPs stood at 376,740, according to the data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Here are the top 10 Internet Service Providers in Nigeria according to the number of customers as of Q1 2022:

1. Spectranet

Spectranet was awarded a License from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) 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 connected and active customers out of all the ISPs licensed by the Commission. While the company has 260,725 connected customers, its active customers stood at 121, 281. The company had a point of presence in 630 locations across Nigeria.

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. Tizeti’s total connected subscribers as of Q1 2022 were 29, 397 while 17,438 of those customers are active. The ISP had points of presence in 126 locations.

3. IPNX

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.

As a pioneer and a leading Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH) operator in Nigeria, IPNX as of Q1 this year had 17, 499 connected subscribers, while 12, 516 of those customers were active. Its points of presence are in 53 locations.

4. VDT Communications

VDT is a licensed Private Network service provider specialising 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 they have 59 Point-Of-Presence (POP) and complement of technical support staffers.

From 8th position in our previous ranking, the company climbed to number 4 in Q1 2022 as it gained more customers.  According to the NCC’s data, VDT had 11,216 total connected subscribers with 7, 146 active users.

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.  According to NCC’s database, Cyberspace as of Q1 2022, had 3,593 connected customers and all of them were actively subscribed. The ISP is present in 138 locations across Nigeria.

6. 21st Century Ltd

21st Century Technologies Limited is a Licensed Information Communications and Technology Services Provider in Nigeria incorporated in 1997. The company owns and operates one of the most extensive optical fibre cable metropolitan networks in Nigeria with speeds up to 10Gbps, high-speed Corporate Dedicated Internet Access and IRUs for a total of 10Gbps, and fully redundant International subsea fibre capacity with two separate vendors.

As of Q1 2022, it had 5,296 customers out of which 2,571 were actively subscribed to its service. The ISP had a presence in 50 places.

7. 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.

The ISP, which was number 7 in our Q4 2021 review gained new customers to become number 6 in the Q1 2022 ranking.  The company had 4,435 connected customers and all of them were active. It, however, had only 3 points of presence.

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 the Nigerian society with a reliable and secure Internet Service and Data management solution to the digital universe.

Cobranet currently offers corporate internet plans for organisations and medium-sized businesses over a state-of-the-art -radio network in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt as well as residential plans. The company has 3526 subscribers and interestingly all of them are active, thus achieving 100 per cent customer activeness. The company has a presence in 84 locations.

9. Astramix Limited

Astramix Limited is a provider of fast and reliable uninterruptible data and internet broadband. The company says it uses first-class communication technology and has the most reliable, uninterruptible, and efficient top-of-the-range data solutions in the market.

With Grade ‘A-brands as its exclusive sources of airtime, hardware, and technology, the ISP is expanding its markets and operational bases to provide uninterrupted connectivity specifically to Nigeria’s Business and Private sectors.

As of Q1 2022, its connected customers stood at 2,040 and all of them were actively connected. The company had 5 points of presence.

10. 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.

A total of 1,852 customers were subscribing to the ISP’s service as of Q1 2022 and all of them are active. The company had 6 points of presence.