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Starlink has emerged as the second-largest internet service provider in Nigeria based on the number of customers.

Elon Musk's internet venture, Starlink, has positioned itself as Nigeria's second-largest Internet Service Provider (ISP) by subscriber count as of the third quarter of 2024.

  This information was disclosed in the most recent ISP statistics published by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

  The data indicates that Starlink's active subscriber base in Nigeria rose to 65,564 by the end of the quarter, surpassing FiberOne, which previously held the second position in terms of customer numbers.

  In December 2023, NCC reported that Starlink had 23,897 subscribers, ranking it as the third-largest ISP at that time.

The Q3 2024 figures reveal that Starlink gained 41,667 new customers in the first nine months of the previous year.

Spectranet retains its lead On the other hand, Spectranet, one of Nigeria's oldest ISPs, continues to lead the market with 105,441 active subscribers at the close of Q3 2024.

  However, this represents a decline of over 8,000 customers from the first three quarters of the year, as its customer count was 113,869 at the end of 2023.

  FiberOne, which once ranked as the second-largest ISP, now holds a distant third place with 33,010 active subscribers at the end of Q3 2024.

ISPs versus MNOs According to the NCC's records, there are currently 241 companies licensed as ISPs in Nigeria.

  However, based on the recently released customer data, only 124 of these ISPs had active subscribers as of Q3 2024.

  The NCC's data indicates that these 124 ISPs collectively had 307,946 active customers during the reviewed period.

  This figure remains relatively low when compared to the internet subscriber counts of the four major mobile network operators (MNOs) in the country.

As of September 2024, MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile collectively reported 132.

• 4 million active internet subscriptions.
  

Starlink, which made its debut in Nigeria in January 2023, has generated significant interest among Nigerians despite its higher pricing compared to local internet service providers (ISPs).

Many individuals are eager to switch to Starlink due to its extensive satellite coverage, which appeals particularly to those in regions with inadequate internet connectivity.

In less than two years of operation, Starlink has attracted a customer base that far exceeds that of many established local ISPs that have been serving the Nigerian market for several years.

In December of the previous year, Starlink raised its subscription fee from N38,000 to N75,000 per month.

This increase followed a dispute with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which claimed that Starlink had not obtained the necessary approval prior to implementing the price hike.

As demand for its services surged, Starlink had to temporarily halt new orders in major cities such as Lagos, Abuja, and Port-Harcourt due to reaching capacity limits.

Additionally, the service was reported as 'sold out' in Benin City and Warri.