The launch of SpaceX’s Starlink service in Nigeria has helped achieve full broadband coverage across the country — reports Nairametrics (via @DimaZeniuk).
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, said that Nigeria has achieved 100% broadband coverage following the licensing and operation of SpaceX’s Starlink. 🇳🇬🛰️
Source: @Nairametrics@elonmusk @SpaceXStarlink pic.twitter.com/Oy5KBsxSVI
— Dima Zeniuk (@DimaZeniuk) January 28, 2023
Starlink is a high-speed internet service powered by a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit. SpaceX received approval to operate Starlink in Nigeria in July 2022, with the first hardware kits going out to pre-order holders in December.
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, recently announced that Starlink’s arrival in the country has helped surpass the National Broadband Plan (NBP 2020-2025)’s goal of 90% broadband coverage by 2025, with three years to spare.
“Based on the National Broadband Plan, we were to have 90% broadband coverage by December 2025. However, we recently gave a license to Starlink to provide services and this has given us 100% coverage, about 3 years ahead of schedule,” Pantami said.
Thanks to Starlink, Nigerians can now have access to high-speed internet from anywhere in the country. Even the most rural parts of the country fall under Starlink coverage.
Starlink subscribers in Nigeria have to pay $600 for the user terminal, with service costing the equivalent of $43 USD per month.
SpaceX is constantly expanding Starlink coverage across the globe — not only to more countries but to moving boats and airplanes as well. Just earlier this week, the service became available in Peru. As of last month, SpaceX has more than 3,000 Starlink satellites in operational orbit.
