Hit by steep operating costs, Nigerian internet service providers gasp for air

As of April 2023, Nigeria had 258 internet service providers (ISPs) and the industry’s regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), was looking to issue more licences to new operators to drive 70% internet penetration by 2025. One year later, the number of operators is shrinking; 12 companies have failed to renew their five-year licences on expiry in June, and more are likely to leave the market when their licence expires, as per four telecom experts.

Among the 242 ISPs left in Nigeria, only 106 are operational, according to NCC data for the first quarter. These 106 active ISPs serve a total of 262,206 subscribers, less than 3% of the total internet market. The largest ISP, Spectranet, has over 43% of the total industry subscribers with 113,869 subscribers.

TechCabal found that 22 ISPs have licences that will expire this year. A company like InterWeb Satcom Limited, founded by Nigerian senator Monday Okpebholo, is no longer active online; its licence will expire at the end of July

“The smallholders are all likely to just fizzle out one by one. The mid-sized may try merger if there is a regulatory environment change to offer protection from the MNO‘s onslaught on predatory pricing. This may encourage investors to promote mergers and infuse more capital. Else, they may soon start to die off the way of the smallholders,” Biodun Omoniyi, CEO of VDT Communications, told TechCabal.

ISPs which act as bridges between homes, businesses, institutions, and the internet, provide the infrastructure necessary for users to access websites, communicate, and consume media and entertainment, are grappling with multiple challenges including energy costs which shot up more than 250% in the past year. The energy cost affected facilities and colocation costs which grew to 200%, according to Omoniyi.

The capital expenditure (equipment spending) of local ISPs went up more than 200% in the past year due to foreign exchange increases. The companies are also battling with increased staff costs as a result of a growing wave of workers relocating abroad and creating gaps that take ISP companies a longer time and more money to fill, according to Temitope Osunrinde, a telecom expert and vice president at Tizeti, an internet provider. Other challenges include inflation and a declining market value due to increased competition.

The ISP market is divided into three broad segments, including the mobile network operators (MNOs) and multinationals; the mid-tier broadband companies that offer fixed broadband comprising wireless and fibre optics operators; and the small-holder operators.

“ISPs need an ISP licence. If they have the equipment they are selling and installing, they also need a Sales and Installation licence,” an NCC spokesperson said. An ISP licence costs ₦500,000.

The four MNOs MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile lead the internet market in Nigeria. However, because of their UASL licence which allows them to operate voice and other services, the MNOs are often not described as ISPs because they are mobile-dependent.

“ISP”, the term, is loosely used for mid-tier fixed broadband companies and smaller operators whose internet service licence only permits them to provide internet services. The companies include Spectranet, FiberOne, Tizeti, MainOne, iPNX, VDT Communications, Starlink, and many others.

Internet Service Providers earn income from the purchase of large and redundant internet connections. They resell these as smaller connections to consumers and businesses. ISPs usually have a fixed price for providing a certain speed and bandwidth amount. They can also offer multiple pricing tiers depending on how fast a connection you want and how much bandwidth you want to use over a month.

The problem with this revenue model is the competitive advantage it gives the MNOs who make money off the ISPs from the sale of redundant internet connections as well as the income they make from selling the internet directly to consumers.

Competition from telcos and new players like Starlink and the West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC) appear to have sealed the fate of many local internet providers.

“The entry of major players like Starlink, WIOCC, Glo, and MTN introduces intense competition. These companies have significant resources, broader networks, and the ability to offer competitive pricing due to economies of scale,” Manish Kochhar, former head of fibre networks at Globacom, told TechCabal.

Starlink, which began operations in 2023 in Nigeria, did not waste time to become the fourth-largest operator in the ISP market before the end of that year. It climbed to third-largest ISP with 23,897 subscribers in May 2024. Starlink could claim more market share by collaborating with telcos, Kochhar said.

MTN Nigeria and Globacom have also been involved in the ISP market with the deployment of Fibre To The Home (FTTN both serving 7,641 and 2681 subscribers respectively.

Biodun Omoniyi recommends protection of the mid-tier and smaller operators from “predatory” pricing.

“Strict nationalisation of service pricing to consumers is another dynamic cost-reflective pricing that allows operators to adjust in weeks and not years, which would also help,” Omoniyi said.