Top 10 Telecommunication Companies in Nigeria

Telecommunication is the transmission of information over wire, radio, optical or other electromagnetic systems, through the use of various technologies. Telecommunications, therefore, has a rather broad definition and includes a number of different systems having one thing in common: the exchange of information. 

The Telecoms Industry is a massive one at the moment, which provides service that seems to be next to the water for us. We at NaijaQuest take a look at some of the major telecommunication providers in Nigeria that are the backbone of these communication services.

In Nigeria, the telecommunications landscape has been changing colour and shape almost constantly. Many who came into the market with pomp and parting are no longer there. In this post, we want to celebrate those who have been able to weather the storm, and who continue to stay true to their vision. We highlight the top telecommunications companies in Nigeria.

Top 10 Telecommunication Companies in Nigeria

  • 1. MTN Nigeria

MTN is a brand of the MTN Group Limited. This is a South African mobile telephone communications company that has become the number one mobile telephony operator in Nigeria. MTN has about 40 percent market share in the Nigerian market.

The company is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, operates in several countries, but makes the largest chunk of its revenue in Nigeria. 

Mtn bought Visafone, making it a subsidiary of the company. It has recently gone public in Nigeria as well. 

  • 2. Globacom Mobile

Globacom, which is also known as Glo Mobile, is Nigeria’s second-largest Mobile Network Operator. Glo has the second-highest number of subscribers in the country and has already become an iconic company.  Consolidating on its success, the company has expanded its operations into neighboring countries like Benin and Ghana.

Glo also has a fiber optic cable laid under the Atlantic Ocean, called Glo 1 submarine cable which connects Glo’s landing base to fibre optic connectivity from the United Kingdom to Nigeria. This is to provide high-speed internet services at a cheaper rate, for distribution in the Nigerian, and other markets.

  • 3. Airtel

Most Nigerians did not buy Airtel; they bought V Mobile, Celtel, or Zain. All these are the names and identities that the company has taken up over time, as it stumbled from one owner to another. The company called Airtel was the first mobile telecommunications company in Nigeria. It started well, but management issues have bedeviled the establishment.

The company still has a huge subscriber base, and the current owners (Bharti Airtel from India) have injected stability, even taking the company public in Nigeria.

  • 4. 9 Mobile

Most people who use 9 Mobile today, did not buy 9 Mobile; they bought Etisalat. Etisalat is a brand from the United Arab Emirates. The mobile network operator operates in many countries outside its Arabian stronghold. It came into the Nigerian market with a lot of promise and quickly won the hearts of Nigerians through its generous bonus data offering.

However, Etisalat did not service the loan facility which is obtained from a consortium of 9 Nigerian banks, so as to finance its Nigerian operations. The banks went to court and secured an order to take over the company. The subsequent rebranding gave birth to 9 Mobile.

  • 5. Smile Nigeria 

Smile Nigeria is a mobile telephone network operator newly established in Nigeria. The company also provides internet connectivity, as well as short message service SMS. Smile Nigeria also offers unlimited data plans, as well as other benefits to the Nigerian market.

  • 6. NTEL

NTEL stands for Nigeria Telecommunications Limited. The company is basically an internet services supplier that operates mostly in some high-density urban cities in Nigeria. NTEL currently operates in Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Abuja.

The services are attractive to businesses, and individuals who need high-speed data.

  • 7. MainOne 

MainOne is a major cloud service provider in Nigeria, and West Africa. The company offers internet services, and security management for big companies that need to secure their internet framework with Cloudflare protection, making their networks, difficult to breach.

The company has a business presence across Africa.

  • 8. Swift Network Limited 

Swift Network Limited, which most people just call Swift, is an internet services supplier in Nigeria. The company provides broadband internet services, for companies, families, as well as individuals. The company also sells wifi, and other data sharing devices, to meet customer needs.

Swift is a major player in the internet services business, the company has narrowed its niche and has become quite successful.

  • 9. Spectranet 

Spectranet is another major player in the internet service provider market; the company is the major competition for Swift. Spectranet provides internet services to individuals, corporate entities, and other users, and the company sells portable data routing and sharing devices as well. Spectranet is quite popular among corporate organizations that need the internet to do their business.

Conclusion:

Telecommunications in Nigeria has taken a sharp turn, with major developments happing in the past 15 years. As the county’s telecommunications market has grown, so have many companies evolved. Others who failed to keep pace have been sunk; companies like Nitel, Zoom Mobile, Stacomms, and Multilinks, were once active in the Nigerian market, but those companies have now become a part of the history of the Nigerian telecommunications business terrain. Thanks

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3 Replies to “Top 10 Telecommunication Companies in Nigeria

  1. You forgot to add Trista Broadband. Trista Broadband is also a top telecommunication company in Nigeria.

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