Starlink has been approved to provide high-speed, low-latency broadband internet in Nigeria and Mozambique.
SpaceX has been in discussion with the telecommunications regulatory authorities in Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), since May 2021 to begin the process of pursuing all necessary licenses to bring Starlink, its satellite-based broadband services, to Nigeria.
According to a report from NCC, Starlinks received two licenses, which include the International Gateway license and Internet Service Provider (ISP) license, and will be trading as Starlink Internet Services Nigeria Ltd. In addition, NCC also confirms that both licenses will take effect from May 2022. The International Gateway license will be valid for ten years, while the ISP license will last for five years and may be renewed upon the expiration of the contract.
Starlink’s offering is best for low to medium population density areas. It can also provide internet access to areas where broadband is unreliable or unavailable. However, the affordability of the service for developing African states has been questioned, and rightly so. The satellite broadband offering comes with a monthly subscription of USD 110 and USD 599 for the complete Starlink kit, which most people in Nigeria and Mozambique might not be able to afford.
With the addition of Nigeria and Mozambique, Starlink now operates across all continents, and 32 countries, where it has obtained the required licenses to provide internet services.
