Uwagwu BennettIn today’s digital age, reliable internet connectivity is essential for work, entertainment, and communication. In Nigeria, several internet service providers (ISPs) offer various packages that cater to the different needs and budgets of consumers.
An internet service provider is an organization that provides services for accessing, or using the internet.
The competition in the market for providing internet services is escalating as more competitors enter. The bulk of internet subscriptions in Nigeria are on mobile networks, but due to the nature of their business models, ISPs mostly rely on business subscriptions, and their services are designed to cater to the demands of corporations.
Prior knowledge of the nation’s present internet scenario is crucial. With a population of over 200 million, Nigeria has over 152 million active internet users, according to data from the Nigerian Communications Commission.
Only over 44% of the population of Nigeria has access to the internet, making it a country with a still relatively low internet penetration rate. Furthermore, Nigerian internet connectivity is frequently poor and unpredictable, especially in rural areas where access is few or nonexistent.
Local internet service providers (ISPs) have been attempting to increase internet access and raise the standard of internet service in Nigeria, but they are up against a number of obstacles.
In this article, we will explore the best fast internet service providers in Nigeria.
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Factors To Consider When Choosing An Internet Service Provider in Nigeria
Internet access is as important for the majority of businesses and even homes as their other utilities. The majority of businesses use internet connectivity for everything from credit card processing to client communication (email, VOIP, etc.).
Some businesses just cannot function without internet access. Home users are increasingly turning to the internet for pleasure purposes in addition to business reasons. This is a result of the rise of social media and video streaming services.
In both commercial and personal settings, choosing the incorrect Internet service provider may be disastrous because it might leave you stranded with nowhere to turn.
Here’s a quick checklist of the things to keep an eye out for when choosing an internet service provider in Nigeria so you can be sure to pick the correct provider to suit your needs.
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1. Availability
Unfortunately, in rural places, this is the main decisive factor. If the internet service provider doesn’t provide service in your location, a high-speed cable or fibre connection won’t help your business.
The only options available to a surprising number of businesses and homeowners are typically satellite internet and either a type of broadband or 4G-LTE network (which, with the correct setup and plan, can be surprisingly effective).
Therefore, the availability of the chosen internet service provider’s network in your area is a crucial consideration when choosing from the internet service providers in Nigeria.
2. Speed
Many internet users tend to rate internet service providers in Nigeria based on the speed of the internet connection they receive from each provider. Before choosing an internet service provider of your choice, it’s crucial to look at which ones offer quicker surfing speeds than which.
As a business, you must make sure that your speed is adequate to avoid interfering with regular operations even when demand is at its peak. For some users, choosing an ISP is mostly based on speed.
They merely desire the quickest internet available in their location. This is entirely dependent on geography and the options available to you as a customer or organisation. The “Bandwidth” is the value you are comparing while examining different plans.
The amount of information that may be transmitted over a certain period of time is simply referred to as the bandwidth. While some rural businesses are restricted to 3 to 6Mbps DSL connections, some customers are fortunate enough to have access to fibre connections that can reach over 1000 Megabits (Mbps) per second.
Additionally, just because a speed is advertised does not guarantee that it will be what you receive. It’s also worthwhile to inquire with nearby firms to find out what kind of speed you may reasonably anticipate.
3. Cost
Internet service providers in Nigeria must strike a decent balance between speed and cost in order for you to use it. For instance, it generally won’t make sense for you to pay #10,000 per month for a dedicated fibre connection if you operate a small business from your home. For some businesses, reliability and speed are more important than cost.
For a developing small business with 25 people, the same #10,000 per month dedicated fibre connection indicated above might be a no-brainer. You’ll need to balance the benefits and drawbacks, as you would with other company decisions.
When selecting an internet service provider in Nigeria, answer the following questions. How much are their internet data plans, sim cards, and, in some cases, routers/MiFis? Do these costs fit your spending plan?
4. Reliability
One of the most important aspects to take into account when selecting internet service providers in Nigeria is reliability. It is not worthwhile to have an internet connection you can’t rely on for your everyday tasks.
Especially for commercial customers, reliability is probably the most important factor. It is unpleasant and unhelpful to have inconsistent internet service.
5. Customer Service
When choosing from the internet service providers in Nigeria, you should also take customer service into account. How helpful is the internet service provider in question to customer service representatives?
Do they provide immediate solutions to your problems? Before choosing any internet service provider in Nigeria, you should have the answers to these questions.
Reliability and customer service go hand in hand. No matter how strong the connection is, something will eventually go wrong.
It’s highly possible that there will be problems eventually, whether they are caused by ageing hardware or a physically damaged cable. How quickly they can assist you in getting back up and running is a sign of good customer service.
List of The Best Internet Service Providers in Nigeria
1. Smile Communication
Smile Telecoms Holdings Limited (Smile Group), which was established in 2007 and has its headquarters in Mauritius, owns and manages 4G LTE mobile broadband networks in the 800MHz band in Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda while providing its users with all-inclusive SuperFast mobile broadband services.
In all of its operating nations, Smile offers 4G LTE mobile broadband services with data rates of up to 21Mbps. In order to allow its customers to use one data bundle for both SuperFast broadband and SuperClear phone services, Smile debuted its SuperClear voice, video, and SMS services over LTE in 2016.
Smile Communication is one of the leading internet service providers in Nigeria and gives fixed internet devices in addition to a huge selection of data packages. Users can purchase unlimited monthly data bundles with speeds up to 21Mbps for as little as N36,000 or as much as N36,000 for flexible mobile data plans.
In addition to being the country’s first 4G LTE network, they also provide super clear voice services (VOLTE), which let users call and be called, as well as send text messages (SMS) to other numbers, at lower call rates than those offered by the nation’s other telecommunications service providers.
Nigeria overtook other West African nations in 2014 as the site of Smile’s first 4G LTE network launch. Major cities including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Benin City, Kaduna, Onitsha, Asaba and most recently, Kano, are included in their coverage.
People will be able to access the internet utilizing the most dependable SuperFast 4G LTE mobile broadband service thanks to this accomplishment.
2. iPNX
iPNX is one of the leading internet service providers in Nigeria, providing creative, top-notch services to a wide range of demands across enterprises, small businesses, and citizens.
Due to their devotion, desire, and enthusiasm, which have been realized through highly skilled and experienced individuals, they have more than ten years of experience and are able to recognise, satisfy, and even exceed today’s market needs.
This internet service provider currently offers a variety of solutions to different industries and market segments as a pioneer and top fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) provider in Nigeria using industry-leading technology as our primary access network infrastructure and fixed wireless radio services (via licenced frequency).
To serve important business and suburban areas, they also offer supplementary IT solutions. Although iPNX also offers limited data plans, its unlimited options are more expensive and have faster speeds.
3. SpectraNet
In 2009, Spectranet was awarded a license from the Nigerian Communications Commission to promote internet service in Nigeria. They became fully operational in 2010 and have since risen to be one of the best internet service providers in Nigeria.
Spectranet was one of the first internet service providers in Nigeria to launch 4G LTE services to homes, hotels, and businesses in Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, Port-Harcourt and other major cities in Nigeria.
Spectranet boasts of providing very high internet speed at the most affordable costs, with data plans designed to give you the best value as a student, professional, family, or business enterprise.
Simply purchase any of the two types of internet modems, which are the portable MIFI modem and or the CPE multi-user hub. You’ll need to subscribe to any of their data plans after purchasing the modem.
4. Starlink
Starlink is a new entrant into the Nigerian telecom market, and it promises to revolutionize the industry with its fast and reliable internet services.
Starlink is a satellite-based internet service provider founded by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. It offers internet services through a constellation of low-earth-orbit satellites that provide high-speed internet connectivity to users in remote areas.
Starlink has already deployed over 1,500 satellites in orbit and has begun beta-testing its services in select countries.
The price of SpaceX’s hardware and subscription plan has been reduced to N274,098 and N19,260 per month, respectively, by Elon Musk’s satellite company.
Starlink had set the price of its hardware and a monthly subscription at $600 and $43, respectively, which would be equivalent to around N438,000 and N31,000 on the black market.
When preordering the hardware last year, several Nigerians made the initial payment in dollars. Nigeria became the first African nation to officially witness the debut of Starlink.
With the price cut, Starlink is expected to face stiffer competition from MTN, Airtel, Globacom, 9mobile, and hundreds of other internet service providers in Nigeria offering services via various technologies, such as fibre and satellite, in the market for providing internet services.
Starlink’s selling feature is its speed and according to the company’s website, Nigerians using Starlink would see download rates of 50–200 Mbps.
5. Hoop Telecoms
Established in 2017, Hoop Telecoms Ltd is one of the few internet service providers in Nigeria offering high-speed unlimited data plans.
They currently have offices in five states of Nigeria while their network coverage is in the 36 states and the FCT. According to the company, they aim to be in every nook and cranny of the country.
Just in March 2023, Hoop Telecoms launched its cloud management services for enterprise businesses and SMEs business.
Hoop Telecom’s managed cloud services, which are delivered to clients countrywide and include a fully functional data centre infrastructure, are made up of a variety of top-notch IT solutions.
This includes anything from their office-in-a-box platform, which provides companies with a flexible and world-class ICT system, to a remotely managed firewall that helps organisations save money and space.
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6. Tizeti
Tizeti deploys public Wi-fi Hotspots at locations around Africa and offers high-speed broadband internet to residences, businesses, events, and conferences. In order to provide innovative, customer-friendly pricing for unlimited internet service throughout Africa, the firm is utilising the vast wireless capacity offered by Wi-fi and the falling cost of solar panels to build a cheap CAPEX/OPEX network of owned and operated towers.
Customers of Tizeti can easily access the internet to work from home or at the office, learn online, keep in touch with friends, and view online entertainment thanks to speeds of up to 1000 MBPS.
Tizeti, dubbed the first solar-powered internet service provider in West Africa, is expanding its 4G LTE network into ten additional Nigerian states.
These states include Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Abia, Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Abuja, Kano, and Kaduna, where the company claims that there is a significant unmet need for affordable, limitless broadband internet.
Residents and businesses in these 10 states will now have access to Tizeti’s unlimited, high-speed broadband connectivity with a low-cost introductory offer for monthly fixed broadband and setup fees. With this, Tizeti aims to be the best internet service provider in Nigeria.
7. Astramix Ltd
Fast, dependable uninterruptible data and internet broadband are offered by Astramix Limited. The business claims to use the most advanced communication technology and to offer the most dependable, uninterrupted, and effective top-of-the-line data solutions available.
The internet service provider is growing its markets and operating bases with Grade ‘A-brands as its exclusive suppliers of airtime, hardware, and technology in order to continuously deliver connection, specifically to Nigeria’s business and private sectors.
8. Cobranet
Cobranet Limited is one of the leading internet service providers in Nigeria. Since its founding in 2003, Cobranet has offered trustworthy and secure Internet services and data management solutions to a number of companies and sectors nationwide.
Cobranet strives to offer cutting-edge, top-quality solutions at the finest feature-to-price and service-to-price ratios so that clients may accomplish their personal and professional goals while taking comfort in a reliable internet connection.
Cobranet offers internet plans for organizations and businesses in Lagos, Abuja, and Port-Harcourt as well as residential plans. The company’s promise is to continue to provide innovative, cutting-edge solutions at best prices to users.
9. Amazon Starlink
Amazon Starlink, also known as Project Kuiper, is another satellite-based internet service provider that aims to provide high-speed internet connectivity to users in remote areas.
The project is funded by Amazon, and the company plans to launch a constellation of over 3,000 satellites to provide internet services worldwide.
Amazon Starlink is not yet available in Nigeria, but the company has announced plans to launch its services soon. With its vast resources and experience in the tech industry, Amazon Starlink has the potential to disrupt the Nigerian telecom market.
The low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network of Amazon will be used by each Project Kuiper receiver. The first two prototypes of these satellites, which are not yet in production, are scheduled to fly later this year aboard a Vulcan Centaur rocket from the United fly Alliance.
Customers should begin using Project Kuiper by the end of 2024, with the first production satellites expected to launch in the first half of 2024.
10. Cyberspace
Cyberspace was established in 1995 and started operating the same year as a Nigerian company with 100% ownership.
The company has been able to differentiate itself as a complete network and software solution provider in the sector thanks to its cutting-edge and world-class internet protocol (IP) infrastructure. With a mission to provide exceptional value-added ICT services and cutting-edge networking solutions.
The internet service provider set up its 4G LTE network architecture in 2014 with the goal of giving its clients 10 times greater speed, mobility, and security.
11. MTN 5G
In September 2022, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc commercially introduced the fifth-generation technology, also known as 5G, in Nigeria.
The 5G network powered by MTN Nigeria will run on software-defined network capabilities, allowing for a higher level of operational independence through the use of already-available and well-understood AI approaches.
As well as opening up new business models and use cases for 5G, IoT, and enterprise, AI is also offering opportunities in terms of better performance, greater efficiency, and improved customer experience.
Millions of new customers in the nation are anticipated to benefit from the 5G network’s quick internet speeds and low latency, which will unleash the full potential of the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), smart cities, and immersive communication via augmented (AR) and virtual reality (VR).
The key ways that 5G differs from all of the previous generations are in its peak capacity and decreased latency, which is the amount of time it takes for information to travel from a device until a receiver uses it.
5G is now only available in authorised locations throughout seven states in the nation. Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, Owerri, Maiduguri, and Kano and Enugu will be launched shortly are these states. More sites are reportedly being developed within these states, according to MTN and Mafab.
In Nigeria, there are essentially only two ways to connect to 5G: using a 5G router or a phone that is both 5G compatible and 5G enabled. 4G sims are also 5G enabled. At network speeds, MTN 5G tears Starlink to pieces. With MTN 5G, you might get ten times the download speeds of Starlink. The major drawback of Starlink is its upload speed.
Strong rain clouds and heavy rain significantly reduce Starlink’s signal. Despite using both Ku and Ka Bands, Starlink is vulnerable to rain fade during periods of intense rainfall. Technically, the 5G Network shouldn’t be significantly impacted by weather.
12. FibreOne
Since its founding in 2017, FiberOne Broadband has been bringing people together in their homes and places of business. FibreOne has risen to become the largest FTTH (Fibre to the Home) premium broadband provider in Nigeria.
With a triple-play service that combines broadband, telephony, and video, they provide outstanding Fibre internet services to households and businesses. Low latency and ideal speed are guaranteed by their cutting-edge technology.
FibreOne is currently available in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Ilorin. You are guaranteed limitless data with FiberOne Broadband; there is no data cap, no restriction and they offer you download speeds of up to 1200 Megabytes per second for quick downloading.
At FiberOne, their team of professionals is well-equipped to provide a high-quality fibre-optic internet experience.
Through their innovative products, Fiber-to-the-Home FTTH and Fiber-to-the-Office FTTO, they are ready and set up to provide households and offices with a high-quality, fibre-optic broadband experience at a reasonable price.
Conclusion
In conclusion, in the current digital era, quick and dependable internet connectivity is essential. Numerous internet service providers in Nigeria provide a range of packages to suit customers’ varying requirements and financial constraints.
Some of the top telecom operators in Nigeria that provide swift and dependable internet services include Spectranet, Tizeti, and CobraNet. With its satellite-based internet services, Starlink and Amazon Starlink, two recent entrants into the Nigerian telecom market, aim to revolutionise the sector.
Despite the specific operating environment constraints, the supply of internet services has continued to draw new players to Nigeria.
The internet service providers in Nigeria, who operate under a separate licence from mobile network carriers, primarily serve businesses and residences as opposed to companies like MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile, which cater to the entire country’s internet user base.
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