Starlink Slower in Nigeria Despite Surging Popularity

A new report by global broadband intelligence firm Ookla has revealed that Nigeria ranks among the Sub-Saharan African countries with slower Starlink internet speeds, despite being one of the satellite provider’s largest markets on the continent. According to the Speedtest Intelligence report, Nigeria’s average Starlink download speed stands at 49.6 Mbps, significantly lower than several neighbouring countries. In comparison, Botswana leads the region with a median speed of 106.4 Mbps, while Eswatini and Rwanda follow closely at 86.2 Mbps and 85.5 Mbps, respectively. A spokesperson for Ookla attributed this speed gap to network congestion, explaining that Nigeria’s popularity as Starlink’s biggest African market has resulted in more users per satellite beam.

Starlink Customer Base Growing Rapidly in Nigeria

Since launching operations in January 2023, Starlink has seen rapid customer acquisition in Nigeria, becoming the country’s second-largest Internet Service Provider (ISP) within just two years. As of Q3 2024, Starlink had 65,564 customers, according to data reported by Nairametrics. This customer base surpasses many traditional ISPs in Nigeria, some of which have operated for over a decade. The wide coverage and reliability of Starlink, particularly in rural and underserved areas, have contributed to its appeal despite higher costs compared to local ISPs. “Its ubiquitous satellite reach is a game-changer for users in Nigeria’s poorly connected zones,” analysts noted.

How Nigeria Compares to Other African Countries

The report provides a comprehensive view of Starlink speeds across several Sub-Saharan African countries:

• Botswana: 106.4 Mbps
• Eswatini: 86.2 Mbps
• Rwanda: 85.5 Mbps
• Burundi: 79.5 Mbps
• Sierra Leone: 77.8 Mbps
• Mozambique: 75.7 Mbps
• Ghana: 75.1 Mbps
• Malawi: 71.3 Mbps
• Zambia: 69.7 Mbps
• Nigeria: 49.6 Mbps
• Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Kenya, and Madagascar: all recorded slower speeds than Nigeria.

Ookla noted that several factors influence these variations beyond user density. These include the number of satellites covering a specific region, the geographic placement of satellite terminals, and the orientation or quality of satellite dishes (user terminals). More satellites typically result in stronger signal quality and higher bandwidth availability.

Starlink Still Outpaces Terrestrial ISPs Across the Region

Despite the disparity in speeds between African countries, Starlink’s satellite internet consistently outperforms terrestrial ISPs across the board, the report highlighted.

“Starlink delivers substantially higher median download speeds than the overall median for other ISPs across all surveyed markets,” Ookla reported.

In Botswana, Starlink’s median speed of 106.36 Mbps dwarfs the 9.36 Mbps offered by other ISPs. Similarly, Eswatini’s 86.18 Mbps via Starlink far exceeds the 13.6 Mbps from local providers. This performance gap is equally evident in:

• Burundi: Starlink at 79.5 Mbps vs local ISPs at 10.4 Mbps (ratio of 7.6×)
• Mozambique: 75.7 Mbps vs 11.4 Mbps (6.6×)
• Ghana and Rwanda, which have the fastest local ISP speeds at 44.66 Mbps and 44.15 Mbps, respectively, are still outpaced by Starlink at 75.1 Mbps and 85.5 Mbps

Even in markets like Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia, Starlink’s performance is two to four times faster than their terrestrial counterparts.

Challenges and Opportunities for Starlink in Nigeria

While Starlink’s performance in Nigeria trails behind its regional peers, its value proposition remains compelling, especially in rural areas where internet access remains inconsistent or non-existent. However, the high number of users and increasing network congestion may require the deployment of more satellites over the Nigerian territory to improve speed and user experience. Additional investment in infrastructure optimisation, including user terminal technology and ground support, could also enhance overall service delivery. There’s also growing anticipation around potential regulatory shifts that may affect Starlink’s pricing, local partnerships, and bandwidth allocation in the Nigerian market.

“We’ve seen a shift in user expectations. Nigerians are more willing than ever to pay a premium for stable, high-speed internet. The challenge is making that promise sustainable as the user base grows,” noted tech analyst Jide Ayeni.