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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has approved six new Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to operate in the country from January 1, 2026, a decision that deepens competition in a broadband market already strained by dominant mobile network operators and fast-expanding satellite players.
The development, confirmed through the NCC’s updated licensing database, shows that the number of authorised ISPs has risen to 231 from 225 as of December 2025. The increase comes at a time when many traditional ISPs are battling shrinking customer bases, aggressive pricing by telcos, and disruption from satellite broadband services.
The newly licensed companies are Intellvision Technologies Limited, Granet Technologies Limited, Fiber Sonic Limited, Dasol Solution Services Ltd, Boost ISP Limited, and Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited. Five of the six new operators are headquartered in Lagos, while only one is located outside the main commercial corridors, operating from Owerri in Imo State. The distribution once again underlines the heavy geographic concentration of broadband infrastructure and operations in Nigeria.
NCC data shows that most licensed ISPs remain clustered around Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, where demand is highest and supporting infrastructure is relatively better developed. High right-of-way charges, security concerns, and the capital-intensive nature of network deployment have continued to discourage expansion into less commercially attractive regions. As a result, while the number of licences continues to grow, actual participation and operational strength remain uneven across the country.
The new approvals arrive at a difficult moment for many operators. Fixed broadband providers are increasingly squeezed by cheaper and more flexible data offerings from MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile, while satellite broadband has redefined expectations around coverage and speed. Industry players say the combination has created a market tilted heavily in favour of large, well-capitalised players.
“You can not fight the big player; that is the reality; what we are asking for is a way to work harmoniously, where everyone gets a piece of the pie,” said Chidi Ibisi, Executive Director, Business Development at Broadbased Communications Ltd. According to him, dominant operators do not need to engage in unfair practices to edge out smaller ISPs, as scale, nationwide reach, and superior investment capacity are often enough to determine outcomes.
Others within the sector argue that internal weaknesses among ISPs have also contributed to the pressure. FibreOne’s Head of Regulatory and Public Relations, Kehinde Joda, said many operators are still stuck in traditional models that focus solely on selling internet access without clear differentiation. Innovation, he said, is not limited to technology alone but also involves “how you design your packages, how you manage customers, and how you adapt to changing needs.”
Joda added that infrastructure cost remains a major obstacle, particularly for fibre-based ISPs. Deploying and maintaining resilient networks requires huge upfront capital and long payback periods, a burden that smaller operators often struggle to carry in an environment of falling prices and rising customer expectations.
Competition in the ISP space has also moved beyond the long-standing rivalry between fixed broadband providers and mobile network operators. The arrival of satellite-based ISPs, with their ability to cover wide areas quickly, has significantly altered consumer behaviour.
Starlink, which entered Nigeria in 2023, has already taken customers from many local ISPs to become the country’s second-largest ISP by subscriber numbers.
The licensing of Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited is expected to further intensify this rivalry. Backed by Amazon, Kuiper enters as a direct challenger to Starlink’s dominance in Nigeria’s low-earth-orbit satellite broadband market. The NCC has said the move reflects Nigeria’s openness to global satellite broadband providers and responds to rising demand for high-speed internet in underserved and hard-to-reach areas where terrestrial infrastructure remains limited.
Recent data highlights how concentrated the market has become. Figures released by the NCC for the second quarter of 2025 showed that Spectranet, Starlink, and FibreOne controlled about 65 per cent of all active ISP customers in the country. Out of 125 licensed ISPs at the time, only 133 reported active connections, with total users numbering 313,713.
Spectranet remained the largest ISP with 99,520 active customers, although its subscriber base declined for the second consecutive quarter. Starlink continued its rapid ascent, growing from 59,509 customers in the first quarter of 2025 to 66,523 in the second, while FibreOne held third place with 37,117 users.
With new licences being issued and satellite operators expanding aggressively, analysts say competition in Nigeria’s ISP market will only intensify, raising fresh questions about sustainability, regulation, and the future shape of broadband delivery in the country.
