The Federal Government has announced that Elon Musk-owned internet service provider, Starlink will be available for use in Nigeria before the end of the year.
According to the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, the nationwide rollout which was initially expected to take place in Q3 2022 will be done before the end of 2022, “after the conclusion of a few administrative processes.”
Investors King recalled that in May 2022, Musk confirmed that the high-speed internet, Starlink, had received approval to begin operation in Nigeria, tweeting “Starlink approved by Nigeria and Mozambique”.
Since the beginning of this year, Starlink has launched more than 2,000 satellites, while 1,500 are in operational orbit. These satellites make it easier for rural areas and places unable to be serviced by regular service providers to have internet access.
The company is renowned for its impressive internet speed of 104Mbps, a sharp contrast to the average cellular internet speed of 17.38Mbps.
While a Starlink internet service can be used anywhere, the set-up price and monthly subscription fee could make it out of reach of an average Nigerian. Yet, it is ideal for large businesses, corporations and government agencies.
Tech Cabal had reported that the cost of using Starlink included a one-time equipment fee of approximately $599 (~₦330,000), $60 (N25,000) for shipping, and a monthly subscription of $99 (N41,000). The premium service costs nearly $2,500 (~₦1.375 million) for the complete kit and $500 (~₦275,000) monthly.
Speaking at the sideline of the just concluded US-Africa Leaders’ Summit in Washington,
In addition, Pantami said ” As part of the partnership, Space X (Mother company of Starlink) is to provide broadband access across the whole of Nigeria, enabling nationwide access to broadband connectivity way ahead of the December 2025 schedule, as outlined in our National Broadband Plan.
With this collaboration with SpaceX’s Starlink, Nigeria is set to be the 1st African country to introduce the service.”