As the name sounds, An ISP (internet service provider) is a company that provides individuals and organisations access to the internet and other related services. The Internet in Nigeria is provided by Mobile operators and Internet Service providers.

Mobile Network Operators are companies that provide Internet services alongside voice and other services as permitted by the Universal Access Service Licence. There are four in Nigeria and they include MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile.

There are also several other companies licensed specifically to provide internet services across the country, that are the core Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

While MNOs in Nigeria have over 140 million individual customers, the ISPs have mainly corporate organisations as their customers. NCC database shows that there are currently 190 ISPs with active licences. Out of this number, there are 10 ISPs who have a very large customer base and usage.

In this article, we’ll take a look at them and why they are the top 10 most popular used ISPs in Nigeria right now.

MainOne

According to NCC’s data, MainOne has 1,569 connected customers, and all of them are actively subscribed to its internet service.

MainOne continues to invest significantly in bringing the benefits of digital transformation across West Africa. With the influx of private capital coupled with a huge working population, the continent is increasingly empowered to drive growth and development. The Company, with headquarters in Victoria Island also has presence in Alausa, Ikeja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Accra, Abidjan and the United Kingdom.

MainOne specifically caters to the needs of SMEs through its SME-in-a-Box Connect, a converged internet and voice solution tailored specifically to meet the needs of small and medium enterprises in Nigeria.

Radical Technology Network Ltd

Radical Technology Network Ltd is a Nigerian ISP with its head office located in Lagos and with presence in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, and Onitsha.

RTN has a total of 2,260 active customers (organisations) connected to the company’s service.

One thing that stands it out of other ISPs in this list is the highest levels of customer responsiveness and service quality. This has earned the company a long-standing relationship with its customers and made it one of the most reliable ISPs in Nigeria.

VDT Communications

The 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 Fibre Optic and Wireless Communication infrastructure and access networks.

VDT is a Broadband communication service provider to corporate organisations with leased Fibre Optic trunks to the thirty-six (36) states in Nigeria and the FCT, where they have 58 Point-Of-Presence (POP) and complement of technical support staffers. It has also launched a broadband service for the mass market. VDT has 2,404 total connected subscribers with 1,731 active users.

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.

For its internet service, the company has 3,200 connected to its network and all of them are actively subscribed according to the NCC’s statistics.

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 3268 subscribers and interestingly all of them are active, thus achieving 100 percent customer activeness.

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.

It has 5,315 customers while 2, 601 are actively subscribed to its service.

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 now has 7,930 customers, out of which 5,710 are actively using its service.

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 currently accounts for 15,582 connected subscribers, while 11,107 of those customers are active.

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 the subscriber number. Tizeti’s total connected subscribers are 21,224, while 15,790 of those customers are active.

Spectranet

In 2009, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) granted Spectranet a license to promote Internet services throughout Nigeria.

Spectranet was one of the first Internet Service Providers in Nigeria to provide 4G LTE internet service and aspires to be a market leader in the Internet Services space.

According to the most recent data on the NCC’s website, this firm has the most connected and active clients of any ISP licensed by the Commission. While the corporation boasts 249,179 connected clients, it only has 119,612 active customers.