Starlink faces first subscriber loss in Nigeria after pausing kit sales
With competition looming and cracks beginning to show, Starlink's next steps in Nigeria could prove crucial.
After months of going quiet in one of its fastest-growing markets, Starlink is finally back in Nigeria. The company has opened a physical walk-in office in Victoria Island, Lagos, a first for its operations in the country.
But while this might look like a win on the surface, it comes after a stretch that exposed just how fragile Starlink’s position in Nigeria really is. Late last year, the satellite internet giant hit a regulatory wall. Starlink had attempted to hike its hardware prices, but the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) pushed back.
At the time, nearly every Nigerian telecom company was seeking price adjustments due to the country's worsening economic situation. The NCC, caught between allowing providers to stay afloat and protecting users from excessive costs, had a tough balancing act on its hands.
With pricing approvals stalled, Starlink decided to pause direct hardware shipments in November 2024, leaving customers stranded and new orders on hold. For seven months, Nigeria, Starlink’s biggest market in Africa by subscriber count, was practically in the dark.
Kelechi Edeh
The fallout was clear. For the first time since launching in early 2023, Starlink’s user base shrank. Between Q4 2024 and Q1 2025, subscribers dropped by over 6,000—from 65,564 to 59,509—dealing a blow to its momentum in a country where satellite internet was supposed to be the answer to spotty broadband coverage and fiber vandalism.
Now, in a bid to stabilise, Starlink resumed direct shipments and rolled out new pricing: ₦690,000 ($455) for a residential kit in major cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, plus an ₦80,000 ($52) congestion-based activation fee.
The mini kit remains more affordable at ₦318,000 ($210), while the monthly plan stays at ₦57,000 (~$38). Hardware must still be ordered online or through approved vendors, but the new Lagos office is expected to serve as a much-needed customer support hub.
Zooming out, Nigeria isn’t the only market where cracks are showing. In Kenya, Starlink lost over 2,000 subscribers between December 2024 and March 2025, a 10.86% drop, largely due to congestion and unmet expectations. These slip-ups might be isolated for now, but as rivals like Amazon’s Project Kuiper reportedly deploy more satellites, Starlink can’t afford to keep stumbling.
If it wants to stay ahead, it needs more than satellite coverage, it needs staying power.
Emmanuel Oyedeji
