Internet Service Providers Lose Over 18,000 Nigerian Customers in 6 Months

More than 18,000 Nigerians have stopped using their Internet service providers (ISPs) in the last six months, as rising costs and poor service quality cause many to cancel their subscriptions. This sharp drop in customers highlights growing challenges for ISPs in Nigeria’s tough economic environment.

Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) shows that between the third quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, 38 ISPs lost a combined total of over 18,000 subscribers. This marks a significant decline in a market where ISPs already serve fewer than 300,000 users, while mobile network operators dominate with over 141 million internet subscriptions.

Starlink, a satellite internet provider that entered Nigeria in 2023 and quickly became the second-largest ISP, experienced a 14% drop in subscribers in just three months early in 2025. The company’s customer base fell from 65,564 in Q3 2024 to 59,509 in Q1 2025, losing more than 6,000 users. This decline followed Starlink’s controversial decision to double its monthly subscription fee from ₦38,000 to ₦75,000 in January 2025. It also raised the price of its hardware from ₦440,000 to ₦590,000, citing economic challenges such as foreign exchange pressures and import costs.

internet service providers lose over 18,000 Nigerian customers

Spectranet, Nigeria’s oldest and largest fixed wireless broadband provider, also saw its subscriber numbers fall by about 2,189 users, a 2.08% decline. Although smaller than Starlink’s drop, it is still significant for a company that once led the market.

The biggest loss was recorded by FibreOne, one of Nigeria’s largest fibre-to-the-home ISPs. FibreOne’s subscriber base collapsed by 42.4%, falling from 33,010 users in Q3 2024 to just 19,000 in Q1 2025. While FibreOne’s price increases were not as steep as Starlink’s, it has struggled with ongoing complaints about service outages, network reliability, and economic pressures affecting its operations.

This trend of internet service providers losing over 18,000 Nigerian customers reflects a wider consumer backlash amid Nigeria’s high inflation and economic difficulties. Many households are forced to tighten their budgets and reconsider non-essential expenses, including expensive internet subscriptions. As a result, more Nigerians are switching to cheaper mobile data plans offered by mobile network operators, which dominate over 99% of the internet market in Nigeria. Mobile internet is seen as more affordable and accessible, even though it may not always offer the same reliability or speed as fixed broadband or satellite services.

The overall number of satellite internet users in Nigeria dropped from 26,906 in Q4 2024 to 23,064 in Q1 2025, breaking Starlink’s early growth momentum. This signals a challenging market for satellite ISPs as well.

Internet service providers lose over 18,000 Nigerian customers in 6 months mainly due to rising subscription costs, poor service quality, and the availability of cheaper alternatives. ISPs face growing pressure to improve their service reliability and reconsider their pricing strategies if they want to retain customers. Otherwise, more Nigerians may continue to leave traditional ISPs for mobile data or reduce their internet usage altogether.

The Nigerian ISP market is shrinking as more than 18,000 people have ditched their providers in six months. Starlink, Spectranet, and FibreOne are among the hardest hit, with FibreOne suffering the steepest losses. Rising prices, economic hardship, and service issues are driving this shift, as Nigerians seek more affordable and reliable ways to stay connected in a difficult economic climate.

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