Internet and connectivity speed tester Ookla has released its market analysis for Nigeria, ranking the country’s fastest internet service providers (ISPs).
The analysis only takes into account top providers of internet services in the country, ones which account for 3% or more of total test samples in the market in Q2 of 2021 – smaller providers are not tested.
All providers are ranked based on their Speed Score, which incorporates a measure of each provider’s download and upload speed to rank network performance (90% of the final Speed Score is attributed to download speed and the remaining 10% to upload speed because online experiences are typically more affected by download speed).
Ookla places the most emphasis on the median speeds as those represent what most network providers’ customers will experience on a day-to-day basis.
Nigerian ISPs Ranked by Fastest Fixed Broadband Internet Speed:
10. Smile
Speed Score – 2.96
Smile Communications provides 4G LTE mobile broadband to several countries in Africa, including Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda. In 2016 Smile launched its SuperClear voice, video and SMS services over LTE, enabling its customers to use one data bundle for SuperFast broadband and SuperClear voice services.
The company offers a wide variety of data offerings, as well as fixed internet devices. Users can get Smile data from as little as N300 for flexible mobile data plans, to up to N36,000 for unlimited monthly data bundles with speeds up to 21Mbps.
Smile also ranked in last place amongst Nigerian ISPs in terms of connection consistency and latency.
9. Tizeti
Speed Score – 4.87
Tizeti is focused on providing its “fast and affordable” broadband internet to private residences, businesses, events, and conferences. Through its Express Wi-Fi plans, the company provides Wi-Fi hotspots to public areas in Nigeria where people gather and work.
Express Wi-Fi plans range from N50 per day for 100MBs to N8000 per month for 50GBs.
Tizeti ranked 9th in terms of latency and connection consistency.
8. Cobranet
Speed Score – 6.94
Cobranet Limited has been a leading Nigerian internet service and data provider since launching in 2003. The company offers corporate internet plans for organisations and medium-sized businesses, as well as residential plans.
In terms of residential plans, its Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) UGO Fibre Plans range from N9000 for 40GB, to N20,000 for 240GB lines. Availability depending on fibre coverage.
Cobranet guarantees a minimum speed of 512Kbps on its fibre.
The company ranked 8th in terms of connection consistency, but 4th in terms of latency.
7. MTN
Speed Score – 7.56
The Nigerian arm of the South African telecom powerhouse, MTN Nigeria offers data for personal, or business use.
Data plans begin at N50 for 40MBs of data, to N10,000 for 40GBs.
MTN Nigeria ranked 5th in terms of connection consistency, and 8th in terms of latency.
Speed Score – 7.96
SWIFT Networks Limited is a Nigerian facilities-based telecom founded in 2002. The company offers broadband internet, VPN services, web and email hosting and more.
Businesses can access SWIFT’s unlimited wireless and fibre plans from N19,460 for 5Mbps, up to N32,000 for 15Mbps. A once-off setup cost of N40,000 is included.
The company ranked 5th in terms of latency, and 5th in terms of connection consistency.
5. Airtel
Speed Score – 10.13
Airtel Networks Limited is one of the country’s leading telecoms, headquartered in Lagos. Airtel is amongst the top three mobile service providers in terms of subscribers with a customer base of more than 50 million as of December 2019.
Airtel offers data to customers from N5000 for 15GB packages, to N100,000 for 1TB packages.
The company ranked 6th in terms of latency, and 5th in terms of connection consistency.
4. Spectranet
Speed Score – 10.59
Awarded a license from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in 2009, the Lagos-based Spectranet provides broadband internet for homes and offices. Spectranet’s products range from FTTH plans to mobile data, to enterprise solutions and even individual modems.
Spectranet offers FTTH in plans from N18,425 for unlimited access at 10Mbps, to N28,665 for 20Mbps.
The company ranked 7th in terms of connection consistency and latency.
3. KKONTech
Speed Score – 11.72
Founded in 2005, the Lagos-based KKONTechnologies is an Open Access Network (OAN) provider focused on Fiber-to-the-Business (FTTB).
KKONTech says it provides scalable and flexible bandwidth from 1Mbps to 1Gbps depending on the requirements of individual businesses.
The company ranked 3rd in terms of consistency and first in terms of latency.
2. Glo
Speed Score – 13.40
Globacom Limited is a Nigerian multinational telecom founded in 2003. In 2018, Glo reported that it had over 100 million subscribers, making it the second-largest network operator in the country at the time.
Glo offers a vast range of products, from mobile data to cloud storage solutions. Its data plans range from N50 for 50MBs, to N100,000 for 1TB, valid for a year.
Glo ranked 3rd in terms of latency, and second in terms of connection consistency.
1. ipNX
Speed Score – 19.25
The fastest ISP in Nigeria in terms of broadband internet, the Lagos-based telecom was founded in 2003, the company provides a wide range of products and services.
ipNX offers both FTTH and FTTB solutions. In terms of residential fibre, plans start at N12,900 pm for 8Mbps up to N62,350 pm for 75Mbps and include a complimentary phone line.
FTTB offerings are catered to SMEs, and begin at N10,750 pm for 20Mbps capped at 40GB, to N161,250 for 50Mbps capped at 2000GBs. A modem cost of N16,125 is included for both residential and business options.
ipNX is also the most consistent ISP and has the second least latency.
By Luis Monzon
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