The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has recently granted licenses to six new Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to operate in Nigeria as of January 2026. This move marks Nigeria as Africa’s main area for satellite internet competition. Among the new players, Amazon Kuiper stands out.
This change ends Starlink’s hold on high-speed satellite internet in Nigeria and sets up tough competition between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.
Who Are the New Providers?
The NCC’s update from January 2026 gives the following six companies permission to operate as ISPs:
- Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited: A major player backed by Amazon’s vast resources, offering a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network.
- Intellvision Technologies Limited: Operating as iKonectt, this company works with WIOCC (which runs the Equiano cable) to provide high-capacity fiber solutions.
- Granet Technologies Limited: This company operates a 4.76Tbps fiber-optic network to serve telecom operators and large businesses in West Africa.
- Fiber Sonic Limited: Focused on home and small business customers, offering various unlimited plans at affordable prices.
- Dasol Solution Services Ltd: Originally a logistics company, they are now branching into ISP services.
- Boost ISP Limited: A new player likely focused on supplying internet to underserved areas.
The Primary Contenders: Amazon Kuiper and Starlink
The arrival of Project Kuiper is significant as Amazon invests $10 billion into global internet access. For the last three years, Starlink, owned by Elon Musk, has been the leader in Nigeria’s satellite internet market, with over 66,000 subscribers by late 2025.
Kuiper and Starlink both use low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. These satellites are closer to Earth, around 590–630 km, which reduces the delay experienced by older satellite internet. This makes video calls and gaming smoother. Amazon aims to provide internet speeds of up to 400 Mbps, competing with the fastest fiber connections in places like Lagos.
Kuiper has permission from the NCC to use the Ka-band frequency, which is good for sending large amounts of data. Amazon has a special advantage with Amazon Web Services (AWS). While Starlink mainly connects to homes, Kuiper will work directly with AWS cloud services.
This will help Nigerian businesses, oil rigs, and banks send data directly to the cloud using satellites. This is a big benefit for companies. The license lasts for 7 years, starting in February 2026, so we can expect them to start operations shortly after that.
Why This Matters
Data usage in Nigeria has skyrocketed. In 2025, it surged by 35% to 13.2 million terabytes. Traditional ISPs, such as Spectranet, are witnessing a significant decline in their customer base, dropping below 100,000 subscribers recently.
New companies, such as FibreOne and the newly licensed Granet and Intellvision, are expanding their fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) services. While fiber connections are stable, they rely on physical cables, which can be damaged. In contrast, satellite internet remains unaffected by these vulnerabilities. More competition, therefore, leads to better deals for consumers.
Starlink’s equipment is priced between ₦400,000 and ₦600,000, but Amazon is known for aggressively lowering prices to attract customers. Experts predict that Amazon will likely provide their equipment at a more competitive price than Starlink.
For the first time, rural areas lacking cell towers will have access to gigabit-speed internet from both Starlink and Kuiper. This advancement is set to significantly bridge the digital divide for many Nigerians living outside major cities.
The introduction of Amazon Kuiper, alongside local innovators such as Granet and Fiber Sonic, signals robust expansion in Nigeria’s digital economy. The National Communications Commission (NCC) has firmly established that the market is primed for competition.
As a result, Nigerian consumers can finally expect faster internet speeds and increased options. With the launch of satellites and the establishment of fiber connections, customers now have superior choices for their connectivity needs.
