Victor EzejaEconomic hardship has forced Nigerians to seek affordable alternatives for internet services, ditching the top providers.
Latest data released by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), revealed that 38 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) lost over 18,000 customers between the third quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe second-biggest ISP in Nigeria and generally regarded as a premium choice, Starlink, experienced a sharp decline. From 65,564 to 59,509, its customer base decreased by more than 6,000.
The industry’s oldest and biggest ISP, Spectranet, lost 2,189 subscribers, while FibreOne, which was formerly the third-largest by user count, saw the biggest decline, losing over 14,000 users.
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In the context of the larger market, these figures may appear modest, but they show that the space available to ISPs is getting smaller.
ISPs collectively serve less than 300,000 users, but Nigeria’s MNOs—MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile—have over 141 million active internet subscriptions. Over 99.8% of the market is covered by that, and the difference is growing.
A 50 per cent increase in voice and data rates for all operators was authorized by the NCC in February. By April, Starlink had increased its monthly fee from ₦38,000 to ₦57,000.
Many people found switching to mobile networks’ broadband plans to be a no-brainer because they were still reasonably priced.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
