Searching for 10 Best Internet Service Providers In Nigeria?
The world is currently in the internet age and to access any website of files on the internet, you will be needing the service of an internet service provider and a good one at that.
In Nigeria, many internet service providers offer these internet services to customers but which one of them can be ranked as the best internet service provider in Nigeria right now? Well, let’s find out together.
An Internet Service Provider (ISP) as the name suggests is an entity that provides internet access and other related services to individuals and firms. In Nigeria, these ISPs are licensed and regulated by the Nigeria Communications Commission.
ISPs in Nigeria are improving their services every day by introducing various new technologies to make the internet cheaper and more accessible to many Nigerians at reduced costs but as in other fields, there are always some companies that will provide better services than the others.
What To Look For When Choosing An ISP In Nigeria
Choosing the wrong Internet Service Provider whether for your business or personal use can be very bad as it can leave you stranded with no one to run to. To make sure you choose the right provider to meet your needs, we’ve made a quick checklist of the factors to look out for when selecting an ISP in Nigeria.
1) Speed
The speed of an internet connection provided by any internet service provider is often the general method of rating ISPs by many internet users in Nigeria. Some ISPs offer faster browsing speeds than others and this is a very important area to take a look at before settling with any ISP of your choice.
2) Availability
The availability of the network of an internet service provider in a particular area is also a very important factor to look out for when choosing an ISP.
Many traditional telecommunications networks in Nigeria like MTN, GLO, Airtel, and others generally have better coverage than the newer ISPs that focus mostly on providing mobile broadband services in selected parts of Nigeria so when going for any ISP, the availability of the network of the selected ISP in your location is a major factor to consider.
3) Cost
The cost of the internet service provided is also a very important factor to look out for when choosing an internet service provider in Nigeria. What are the prices of their internet data plans, sim cards, and router/MiFis in some cases? Do these prices fit your budget?
4) Reliability
Reliability is one of the biggest factors to consider when choosing an internet service provider in Nigeria. An internet connection you can’t rely on for your daily activities is not worth having.
5) Customer Service
Customer service is also an important factor you should consider when going for an ISP. How helpful are customer care agents of the ISP in question? Do they offer solutions to your problems in real-time? These are questions you should have answers to before picking any ISP.
Best Internet Service Providers In Nigeria Right Now
Having a slow or unreliable internet connection is one of the most frustrating things that many Nigerians face so if you’re looking to change your ISP or simply in search of a good ISP, below are the best and fastest internet service providers in Nigeria right now.
1) Spectranet Nigeria Limited
- Location – Lagos, Abuja, Port-Harcourt & Ibadan
- Website – spectranet.com.ng
- Address – Plot 36B, Mobolaji Johnson Avenue Oregun Industrial Estate Alausa Ikeja Lagos
Spectranet Nigeria Limited is one of the leading ISPs in Nigeria and the company is currently ranked as the best internet service provider in Nigeria. It was the first company in Nigeria to provide 4G LTE broadband services and they were issued an operating license in 2009 by the NCC.
Originally, Spectranet only provided high-speed 4G LTE internet services in selected parts of Lagos State, but right now, they offer these high-speed internet services in 3 additional top Nigerian cities which include Abuja, Ibadan, Port-Harcourt.
The company offers fairly cheap internet data plans with their lowest data plan costing around 3,200. Spectranet also offers other weekly, monthly, and night data plans to suit the pocket of internet users of any class.
A complete list of all Spectranet data plans can be found here.
2) IPNX Nigeria Limited
- Location – Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Port-Harcourt & Ibadan
- Website – ipnxnigeria.net
- Address – 4, Balarabe Musa Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria
IPNX Nigeria limited is another top internet provider present in some top Nigerian cities and with over 15 years of experience in the Nigerian internet sector, this company is surely one of the companies to reckon with when it comes to providing world-class internet services for both residential and enterprise needs.
They are also the pioneer and a leading Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH) operator in Nigeria with other services which include broadband internet, IP wholesale, telephony, cloud computing, and many more. If you live in any of their supported cities, then this is a cool ISP to try out.
A list of IPNX data plans can be found on the IPNX Website.
3) Swift Networks Limited
- Location – Lagos
- Website – swiftng.com
- Address – 31, Saka Tinubu Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria
Swift Nigeria is another top internet service based in Lagos, Nigeria. The company which was launched in 2002 has now grown to become one of the biggest ISPs in Nigeria providing multi-service broadband connectivity services to both businesses and residential subscribers.
This ISP like other ISPs on this list is approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission and it operates with the Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) License in Nigeria. Swift Networks offers state of art broadband services to their users in Nigeria and according to multiple tests performed, it also provides one of the fastest 4G LTE services in Nigeria.
SwiftNG also provides interest-free data loans which allow you to borrow more data from them when you exhaust your data before the expiry date and pay when you subscribe next, with no interest. They also have an internet speed test tool, plug and play WiFi modules, unlimited speed, and many more outstanding features.
4) MTN Nigeria
- Location – All major Nigerian cities
- Website – mtnonline.com
- Address – Golden Plaza, No 1 Awolowo Road, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos
MTN Nigeria is not a new name when it comes to telecommunications in Nigeria as they have been present in the Nigerian telecoms sector for more than 18 years now. MTN is known all over Nigeria to offer cheap call-tariffs they offer to subscribers but not only that, but they also provide a fast 4G LTE internet coverage in all major Nigerian cities and states.
MTN 4G Network is very good and with the service, you can enjoy superfast downloads, HD Video Streaming, high-quality voice calls, watch videos, play online video games, browse faster, and much more at very affordable rates.
Depending on your area, MTN 4G LTE network has the capability of delivering speeds of up to 100 Mbps or more. You can get a full list of all MTN data plans here.
5) CobraNet Nigeria Limited
- Location – Lagos, Abuja & Port-Harcourt
- Website – cobranet.org
- Address – Plot 8, Rafiu Babatunde Street, Off Admiralty way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, Nigeria.
CobraNet Nigeria Limited is also another internet service provider in Nigeria that offers really good internet services to subscribers. This ISP started business in Nigeria in the year 2003 and since then, it has been one of the leading companies when it comes to providing quality internet connections at great speed to both corporate organizations and individuals.
This company data plans for different prices that fit the budget of most Nigerian individuals and businesses. Cobranet services are mainly divided into two parts – UGO Mobile and UGO Fibre. UGO Mobile is a service based on mobile broadband access technology while UGO Fibre is the company’s latest Fibre-Optic Technology.
Other services provided by CobraNet include WIMAX (NLOS), voice solutions (VOIP), networking consultancy, and many more. A list of all data plans offered by this company alongside their current prices can be found here.
6) Globacom Nigeria Limited(GLO)
- Location – All major Nigerian cities
- Website – gloworld.com/ng/
- Address – Globacom Limited, Mike Adenuga Towers, 1, Mike Adenuga Close, Off Adeola Odeku Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Nigeria.
Globacom often referred to as “GLO” is an indigenous Nigeran telecommunications company that was founded by Mike Adenuga in 2003. The company is currently the second-largest telecoms operator in Nigeria and as of 2018, they had over 45 Million Nigerians using their network both calls and internet service.
GLO provides excellent call services, plans and also, a robust 4G LTE internet service in all the 36 states of Nigeria. They were also the first telecoms company to roll out this feature in the country and they also have the widest internet coverage in the whole of Nigeria.
Although their 4G LTE service is still not as fast as most ISPs on this list, GLO stands out in one thing and that’s coverage as you can find the GLO 4G LTE service in almost every part of Nigeria. The company also offers one of the cheapest internet data plans in the whole of Nigeria and a list of their 4G LTE plans can be found here.
7) Smile Communications Nigeria Limited
- Coverage – Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Kaduna, Benin, Port-Harcourt, Onitsha & Asaba
- Website – smile.com.ng
- Address – 39c Ahmed Onibudo St, Victoria Island, Lagos
Smile Communications Nigeria Limited is one of the new generation ISPs on this list of the best internet service providers in Nigeria. The company whose aim is to provide faster internet services to its subscribers is currently 4G LTE internet broadband services in several countries in Africa (Nigeria included).
The company which was one of the first telecoms companies to launch a fully-fledged 4G LTE service in Nigeria prides itself as the fastest internet service provider in the Nigerian cities which they currently cover.
Speed aside, Smile also offers very affordable data plans that can fit the budget of Nigerian of any class. Their network is also compatible with a huge list of devices which include Android devices, iPhones, and PCs.
A list of all data plans offered by Smile Nigeria Limited can be found here.
8) 9Mobile Nigeria
- Location – All major Nigerian cities
- Website – 9mobile.com.ng
- Address – Plot 19, Zone L, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos.
9Mobile (formerly Etisalat Nigeria) is also one of the top telecoms companies in Nigeria and a very good internet service provider in the country. They are also known to have one of the fastest 4G LTE networks in Nigeria with a presence in most Nigerian cities and states.
This company which has been in the Nigerian telecoms industry for more than 9 years is a top name when it comes to providing quality internet services to subscribers who reside in Nigeria. Their 4G LTE service which was launched in October 2016 offers very affordable data plans to good internet speeds to many Nigerians regardless of their budget or class as there is always a data plan for everyone on their network.
9) Netcom Africa Limited
- Location – Lagos, Abuja
- Website – netcomafrica.com
- Address – 6/F South Atlantic Petroleum Towers, Adeola Odeku Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria
Netcom Africa Limited is another leading ISP in Nigeria that has been operating in Nigeria since 2004. Some of the internet services which they offer include Broadband LTE services, satellite communications, radio communication services, maritime VSAT amongst others.
Most of their services are targeted at small business and corporate bodies so if you need an ISP to fit the internet needs in your business, NetcomAfrica might just be the ISP you’re searching for. You can read more about their internet services, data plans, and prices here.
10) Airtel Nigeria
- Location – All major Nigerian cities
- Website – airtel.com.ng
- Address – Plot L2 Banana Island, Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi Lagos, Nigeria.
Airtel Nigeria Limited has been one of the leading telecoms companies in Nigeria for many years providing various services which include voice and data services. Their 4G LTE network is also one of the fastest 4G services in Nigeria with millions of subscribers using it daily from around Nigeria.
A list of Airtel data plans and their prices can be found here.
Notable Mentions
- Galaxy Backbone (Optic Fibre)
- Cyberspace Nigeria Limited
- nTel Nigeria
- Tizeti (WiFi.com.ng)
- Main One
- Cool Link Nigeria
- Internet Solutions Nigeria Limited (ISN.ng)
