Synopsis
Significant consolidation has occurred in Nigeria’s Internet and broadband sector, from over 400 ISPs three years ago to around 100 in early 2013. New powerful players from the fixed-wireless and mobile network operator camps have entered the market with 3G mobile and advanced wireless broadband services such as WiMAX. The Internet Protocol (IP)-based next generation networks currently being rolled out are enabling converged voice, data/Internet and video services. VoIP is carrying the bulk of Nigeria’s international voice traffic. The arrival of a second international submarine fibre-optic cable (Glo-1) in 2009 and a third and fourth in 2010 and 2012 (Main-One and WACS) has broken the monopoly of Nitel’s notorious SAT-3/WASC cable and is revolutionising the market by reducing the cost of international bandwidth by up to 90%. Two additional cables are expected to go online in 2013 and 2014. Supported by the expansion of several competing national fibre backbone networks, applications such as e-commerce, online banking and e-payments, e-health, e-learning and e-government are rapidly evolving.
Key developments:
- Consolidation in the ISP sector;
- Explosive growth of mobile broadband subscriptions;
- More bandwidth from new international submarine fibre optic cables;
- Rapidly evolving digital media and digital economy.
Companies covered in this report:
Nitel; Cyberspace; Hyperia; Linkserve; 21st Century Technologies; PINET Informatics; Odu'a Telecom; Swift Networks; Startech Connection; Netcom Africa; MWEB Nigeria; Gateway Communications; Accelon (Internet Solutions); Galaxy Information Technology and Telecommunication; Polestar; Naija WiFi; Suburban Telecom; Zinox; Direct-on-PC; IP Direct; Starcomms; Layer3; Communication Trends Nigeria; Entertainment Highway Ltd (HiTV).
