ABUJA – Shortage in supply of Starlink terminals, a satellite-based telecommunication package, has impacted the nation’s capital of Abuja, as well as other major cities such as Port Harcourt and Lagos.
According to data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) regarding Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Starlink has emerged as one of the leading ISPs in Nigeria in terms of customer numbers.
By the end of Q4 2023, Starlink had risen to become the third-largest ISP in Nigeria, boasting 23,897 customers.
Reports indicate that residents in the aforementioned cities are unable to place orders for Starlink terminals due to overwhelming demand surpassing supply.
The availability map on the company’s website also shows that Starlink has been sold out in other areas of Nigeria, including Benin City in Edo State and Warri in Delta State.
Attempting to place an order for an address in Lagos, for example, results in a message stating, “Starlink Residential is not available in your area. Enter your email below to be notified about future availability and product updates, or if Starlink is active in your market, visit our Roam page to order our mobile offering.
“While new sign-ups are currently on hold in these areas, existing users remain unaffected. Individuals residing in other regions of the country, excluding those areas where Starlink is sold out, are still able to order the kits.
The demand for Starlink services in Nigeria has skyrocketed since the company’s official launch in the country in January of the previous year.
Furthermore, it has been observed that the rush for Starlink is not limited to Nigeria, as the company’s terminals are presently sold out in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, less than two months after receiving authorization from authorities to operate in the southern African nation.
According to a report by Bloomberg, Nigeria and Zimbabwe are the only two African countries where Starlink terminals are in high demand.
This development comes amidst an ongoing dispute in Nigeria regarding price increases due to oversubscription. Recently, Starlink announced the suspension of a previously announced price increment late in September after facing criticism from the country’s telecom regulator for failing to obtain the required approval as per the law.
In September, Starlink had revealed a 97% increase in its monthly subscription price, raising it from N38,000 to N75,000.
Additionally, for new users, the company raised the cost of Starlink kits (hardware) by 34%, from N440,000 to N590,000. Despite its higher costs compared to local ISPs, Starlink, which declared its presence in Nigeria in January 2023, has piqued the interest of many Nigerians seeking to switch their service providers.
The widespread availability of its satellite service also appeals to individuals residing in areas with inadequate internet connectivity.
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