This is the steepest decline among Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country, pointing to the widening gap between the promises of broadband expansion and the challenging market realities these providers face.

Between Q3 2024 and Q1 2025, FibreOne’s subscriber base fell from 33,010 to just over 19,000, according to data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). 

This happened as ISPs collectively shed over 18,000 users and 18 companies exited the market. While Starlink declined by 9% and Spectranet by 2.08%, FibreOne’s near-collapse stands out.

Several forces converged to drive this drop, chief among them being Nigeria’s worsening economic conditions. A 50% increase in telecom tariffs approved in February 2025, coupled with rising diesel prices, FX imbalance, and expensive infrastructure, has pushed fixed broadband beyond the reach of many households and businesses. For FibreOne and others, this has turned retention into an uphill battle.

Mobile networks, meanwhile, have stayed untouched. MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile collectively hold over 141.9 million internet users as of April 2025. Their edge? Affordability, accessibility, and increasing forays into Fibre to the Home (FTTH), where they’re now challenging traditional ISPs with flexible pricing and wider reach.

But FibreOne’s downfall exposes a lack of strategy, poor adaptability, and the absence of policy support. Telecom analyst Jide Awe told TechCabal: “ISPs like FibreOne are feeling the full weight of Nigeria’s economic realities.”

Awe believes there’s still a path forward if ISPs adapt. “They should consider bundling services, target underserved sectors like education and healthcare, and invest in solar solutions to cut operating costs,” he said.

FibreOne is not alone in this struggle, but it may be the most visible casualty of an ecosystem in retreat. While mobile data has become the default for most Nigerians, the downside is becoming more obvious, mobile internet cannot handle the demands of e-learning, telemedicine, enterprise networking, or institutional-scale connectivity.

Diseye Isoun, CEO of Content Oasis, offered a more structural critique: “At the end of the day, ISPs are treated as peripheral, but they are critical to the broadband ecosystem—especially for schools, hospitals, and local businesses. What’s missing is policy—not just investment—that ensures ISPs can serve strategic access points.”

Isoun advocates a model inspired by Brazil’s Telebras—government-backed partnerships with vetted ISPs to guarantee broadband in priority sectors. It’s a contrast to Nigeria’s market-driven approach, which continues to choke out smaller ISPs and leaves critical institutions under-connected.

The data reflects this squeeze. In Q4 2023, Nigeria had 252 licensed ISPs; only 106 were active. By Q1 2025, licensed ISPs had dropped to 234, with just 127 operational. The gap between those with licences and those who can afford to stay in business is increasing.

The situation with Starlink further complicates matters. Initially celebrated as a game-changer for remote connectivity, Starlink has faced underwhelming adoption. Its monthly fees rose from ₦38,000 to ₦57,000 in early 2025, pricing out average users. 

A Starlink retailer confirmed the retreat: “Many Nigerians are cutting down on their subscriptions. I know a couple of people who have scaled down on the subs.”

As the broadband market thins out, what remains is a fragmented sector, over-reliant on mobile operators, with serious implications for national digital capacity.

Nnamdi Richards, a telecom expert, suggested structural reform: “We may need a solution similar to what was done with the banking sector: mergers, acquisitions, IPOs, SEC listings. That could help stabilise some of them financially.”

He also pointed to seasonal risks ISPs now face: “We’re in the rainy season now, and lightning strikes and flooded communities. This is a nightmare for small ISPs without the capacity to cope.”

Without urgent reforms, strategic partnerships, and smarter pricing, Nigeria risks sidelining an important pillar of its digital sustainability.

Meanwhile, MTN capitalized on this churn, welcoming 4,987 new subscribers—representing 63% of total incoming ports from other networks. 

This surge in subscribers placed MTN above other telecom platforms in the market, showcasing its ability to attract dissatisfied users from competitors.

This wave of subscriber migration, part of the NCC’s monthly tracking of industry trends, reveals the challenges faced by 9mobile, which has been struggling to retain its customer base even after its acquisition by LH Telecommunications Limited earlier this year. 

Although there have been attempts at restructuring and repositioning, the company attracted only 30 incoming subscribers, making it the least popular network for customer inflow.

The month’s porting statistics show MTN leading not just in market size but also in its ability to attract discontented users from competitors. 

In addition to MTN’s gains, Airtel received 2,205 new subscribers, while Globacom gained 664, showing that both operators continue to hold appeal among Nigeria’s mobile users.

In total, about 7,886 subscribers switched networks in September, as users pursued better service quality and cost-effective options. These porting patterns align with each provider’s overall subscription numbers. 

MTN retained its top position in the market with a strong base of 78 million active subscribers. Airtel followed with 53.7 million, while Globacom held a distant third place at 19 million, having experienced some subscriber losses earlier this year. 

With consistent challenges and customer departures, 9mobile’s active subscriptions were reduced to 3.6 million by the end of September, emphasizing the difficulties for the company to maintain a solid market presence. 

The NCC attributes the changing subscriber sector to multiple factors, including service quality improvements among some operators and the increasingly competitive pricing strategies offered by mobile network providers. 

Many users reportedly seek more reliable service and also better call and data rates, prompting network switching as they respond to promotional offerings.

This porting activity comes after a significant development in July 2023, when 9mobile announced its acquisition by LH Telecommunications Limited. 

The deal, approved by both the NCC and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), involved a major capital injection from the African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIM) and saw LH Telecommunications take 95.5% control of 9mobile. 

This transfer led to a complete board reshuffle, with Thomas Etuh assuming the role of board chairman and other notable figures such as Senator Daisy Ehanire Danjuma joining as directors.

With the newly restructured 9mobile looking to stabilize its operations, it faces a difficult path in regaining lost ground. 

While the company’s leadership aims to leverage the fresh capital and new management team to revitalize its market share, its ability to appeal to and retain subscribers will be tough as fierce competition from larger players like MTN, Airtel, and Globacom continues to increase. 

Mandated by Section 89 Subsection 3(d) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 (NCA 2003), the NCC monitors and reports on various aspects of the sector. 

This report provides statistical analyses, identifies industry trends, and sheds light on areas such as services, tariffs, operators, technology, subscribers, competition, and dominance.

One of the aspects highlighted in the report is the subscriber and teledensity trends. Teledensity, defined as the number of active telephone connections per one hundred inhabitants, is an important metric indicating the penetration of telecommunication services within the population.

As of the latest report, Nigeria asserts a total of 206.3 million active telephone subscribers, with a teledensity of 108.92%. These figures depict the fluctuations in subscriber numbers and teledensity percentages over different periods, providing insights into the growth and dynamics of the telecommunications market.

Another aspect covered in the report is the market share analysis, particularly focusing on GSM operators. It delineates the percentage share of subscribers among major GSM operators such as Airtel, 9mobile, Globacom, and MTN. 

In the report, MTN leads with 41.12% of the market share, followed by Airtel at 26.78%, Globacom at 26.44%, and 9mobile at 5.66%. 

Additionally, the report delves into the market share by generation, indicating the distribution of subscribers across 2G, 3G, 4G, and emerging 5G technologies.

Internet subscriber data and broadband penetration are important indicators of digital connectivity and accessibility. The report provides insights into the number of active internet subscribers across different technologies, including GSM and CDMA. 

Nigeria has a total of 151.5 million active internet subscribers, with a broadband penetration rate of 45.93% as shown in the report. It also outlines broadband subscription figures and penetration rates, shedding light on the progress and challenges in expanding internet access and connectivity nationwide.

Discussions on the porting activities of mobile network operators were included, highlighting the number of transactions involving the transfer of mobile numbers between service providers. 

The total porting activities stand at 2.67 million. This aspect reflects consumer mobility and choice within the telecommunications market, indicating trends in subscriber preferences and operator competitiveness.

The NCC report provides in-depth resources for industry stakeholders, policymakers, and consumers alike, facilitating informed decision-making, regulatory interventions, and strategic planning to facilitate growth, innovation, and inclusivity within Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.