Nigeria's telcos struggle with poor investment climate
In recent years Nigeria's telecom sector has benefitted from a range of regulatory measures aimed at improving competition and developing infrastructure. The government's aim to increase broadband penetration to 70% by the end of 2025 as part of a national broadband plan remains ambitious, given that the penetration rate was below 50% as of August 2023. Broadband services are predominantly delivered via mobile networks, but while there is some investment in fibre infrastructure one promising platform is satellite connectivity. SpaceX launched commercial services in February 2023, providing national coverage with download speeds vastly superior to the national average. Other satellite options also exist, including services provided by the ISP Tizeti based on Eutelsat's Ka-band connectivity (Konnect), and the NigComSat 2 satellite which delivers 5G backhaul services for MNOs.The government's 5G policy has been supported by the award of spectrum. Mafab Communications, Airtel Nigeria, and MTN Nigeria have all launched commercial services, though their reach is limited: MTN Nigeria's 5G network is the largest though still covered only 7.5% of the population by September 2023.
The sector continues to face economic challenges, notably from unfavourable forex conditions which make the country less attractive to foreign investors, and by the plethora of taxes for telecom services.
Key Developments:
Mafab Communications launches 5G services.Tizeti secures NIDF funds to expand its network across 15 states.
Starlink launches satellite broadband services in Nigeria.
Nigeria's broadcasters object to planned reassignment of 600MHz spectrum for telecom use.
MTN Nigeria drops IHS Holding in preference for ATC as its partner to manage its portfolio of mobile towers.
More than 500,000 5G users in Nigeria.
This product will be updated with the latest data at the time of order. Consequently, dispatch time for this product will be 7-10 business days.
Table of Contents
- Key statistics
- Regional Africa Market Comparison
- Market characteristics
- Market Leaders
- Market Challengers
- Market Emergents
- TMI vs GDP
- Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
- Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration
- Country overview
- Telecommunications market
- Regulatory environment
- Regulatory authority
- Fixed-line developments
- National Telecommunications Policy (NTP)
- Nigerian Communications Act
- West African common regulatory framework
- Interconnection
- Infrastructure sharing
- Telecom taxes
- Universal service
- National Rural Telephony Program (NRTP)
- National Information Technology Development (NITD) Fund
- Backbone Transmission Infrastructure Project (BTRAIN)
- Telecom sector liberalisation
- Globacom's SNO licence
- Regional fixed-wireless access (FWA) licences
- International gateway licences
- Unified licensing regime
- Privatisation of Nitel
- Mobile network developments
- GSM licence terms
- Spectrum
- Mobile Termination Rate (MTR)
- Mobile tariffs
- Unified licensing regime
- Universal service
- Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
- Quality of Service
- SIM card registration
- Mobile market
- Market analysis
- Mobile statistics
- Mobile voice
- Mobile infrastructure
- International gateways
- National mobile infrastructure plan
- Tower infrastructure
- Analogue networks
- Digital networks
- Other infrastructure developments
- Mobile data
- Mobile broadband
- Major mobile operators
- MTN Nigeria
- Airtel Nigeria
- Globacom
- 9Mobile (Etisalat Nigeria, EMTS, Mubadala)
- M-Tel
- Major CDMA mobile operators
- Multi-Links Telkom
- Reliance Telecommunications (Reltel, Zoom)
- Starcomms (Capcom)
- InterC Network (Intercellular Nigeria)
- Visafone
- MVNOs
- Mobile content and applications
- Mobile money transfer, m-banking
- Service providers
- Payment Service Banks
- M-health
- Fixed-line broadband market
- Introduction and statistical overview
- Market analysis
- Internet Exchange Points (IXP)
- National Broadband Plan
- Broadband statistics
- Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
- Providers
- Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
- Other fixed broadband services
- Broadband over Powerlines (BPL)
- Fixed wireless
- Fixed network operators
- Nigerian Telecommunications (Nitel)
- National backbone network
- Wireless Local Loop (WLL)
- Globacom
- Network infrastructure
- Fibre backbone network
- International presence
- Services
- International expansion
- VGC Communications
- National Long-Distance Operators (NLDO)
- Mafab Communications
- Fixed-wireless network operators
- MTS First Wireless
- Mobitel Nigeria
- Prestel (O-Mobile)
- Regional FWA operators
- Telecommunications infrastructure
- Overview of the national telecom network
- Backbone networks
- National Information Infrastructure Backbone (NIIB)
- NIPTI
- Suburban Telecom
- Phase3 Telecom
- Backbone Connectivity Network (BCN)
- Private networks
- International terrestrial infrastructure
- The Central African Backbone (CAB)
- Nigeria - Niger link
- Trans-Saharan Backbone
- NNPC network
- International submarine infrastructure
- SAT-3/WASC
- Glo-1
- MainOne
- WACS
- ACE
- WASACE
- Equiano
- Djoliba
- 2Africa submarine cable
- Satellite
- Rascom
- NigeriaSat-1
- NigComSat
- O3b Networks
- Starlink
- Data centres
- Appendix - Historic data
- Glossary of abbreviations
- Related reports
List of Tables
List of Charts
List of Exhibits
Companies Mentioned
- Nigerian Telecommunications (ntel
- Nitel
- Pentascope
- Transcorp
- M-Tel)
- Africa Mobile Networks
- Globacom (Glo Mobile)
- VGC Communications (MTN Nigeria)
- Nepskom Communications
- MTS First Wireless
- Suburban Telecom
- Backbone Connectivity Network (BCN)
- Traffic Network Services
- Fibre Tech West Africa
- Phase3 Telecom
- Alheri Engineering
- Mobitel Nigeria
- Prestel (O-Mobile)
- Galaxy Backbone
- 21st Century Technologies
- Main One (Mainstreet Technologies)
- Brymedia
- NigComSat
- O3b Networks
- WASACE
- Linkserve
- Pinet Informatics
- Odu’a Telecom
- Swift Networks
- Startech Connection
- Netcom Africa
- MWEB Nigeria
- Accelon (Internet Solutions)
- Polestar
- Naija Wi-Fi
- Suburban Telecom
- Zinox
- Starcomms
- Layer3
- Airtel Nigeria (formerly Zain, Celtel)
- 9Mobile (Etisalat Nigeria
- EMTS
- Mubadala)
- Visafone
- Starcomms (Capcom)
- Multi-Links
- Reliance
- Econet Wireless
- Vodacom.
