Spectranet landscape saw dramatic shifts in the second half of 2025, as Starlink and FibreOne regained momentum while long-time market leader Spectranet slid below 100,000 subscribers for the first time since the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) began publishing ISP data.
Spectranet lost 3,732 subscribers in Q2, dropping from 103,252 to 99,520 — a notable decline for a company that consistently maintained a six-figure subscriber base. The drop underscores ongoing challenges with service delivery, customer retention, and overall market strategy.
Starlink’s Resilience and FibreOne’s Bounceback
While Starlink experienced a temporary setback in Q2, losing over 6,000 subscribers (falling from 65,564 to 59,509), the satellite ISP quickly recovered. By the end of the quarter, Starlink had 66,523 subscribers, surpassing its Q4 2024 tally and demonstrating the resilience of its low-earth orbit service.
FibreOne also experienced turbulence. Its fibre-to-home service lost nearly 42% of subscribers in Q1 2025, dropping from 33,898 at the end of 2024 to just 19,823. However, the company staged a remarkable recovery in Q2, more than doubling its subscriber base to 37,117, reaffirming its position in Nigeria’s competitive fibre market.
A Broader Market Shift
These subscriber swings reflect broader trends in Nigeria’s ISP market, shaped by rising costs, shifting consumer expectations, and performance inconsistencies. NCC data for 2024 shows active ISP subscriptions grew 8.9%, from 262,206 in December 2023 to 285,605 by the end of 2024. Spectranet led the pack with 102,486 subscribers, Starlink followed with 60,862, and FibreOne maintained a leading position in wired broadband with around 19,000 subscribers.
In the wireless segment, Spectranet controlled 47.3% of the market, while Starlink held 28.4%, reflecting its rapid uptake across Nigeria.
Why Starlink Is Gaining Ground
Starlink’s appeal lies in its structural advantages and reliable service. Its low-earth orbit satellite technology delivers high-speed internet across Nigeria, including rural and underserved areas where fibre and LTE providers often struggle. Many customers frustrated with inconsistent speeds and outages from traditional ISPs are willing to pay a premium for Starlink’s reliability. Remote workers, SMEs, and heavy internet users, in particular, value uninterrupted connectivity.
At the same time, dissatisfaction with established ISPs has fueled churn. Spectranet and FibreOne grappled with service degradation, prolonged outages, and customer support challenges, prompting users to migrate to competitors. For Spectranet, declining subscribers not only reduce recurring revenue but also limit its capacity to invest in network upgrades, marketing, and innovation, risking further erosion of its market position.
Looking Ahead
The dynamics in Nigeria’s ISP market suggest a pivotal shift: traditional ISPs must adapt to rising consumer expectations or risk ceding ground to agile, high-performance competitors like Starlink. With fibre adoption rebounding and satellite internet proving its value, the competition for Nigeria’s internet users is intensifying — and the next phase of market leadership may be determined as much by service reliability as by pricing.
