Starlink, the satellite internet company owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has doubled its base subscription prices in Nigeria, citing soaring inflation in the African country.
In an email to customers, Starlink said “due to excessive levels of inflation, the Starlink monthly service price will increase.”
Per the letter, the standard residential plan with a 1TB fair usage policy will now cost ₦75,000 ($48), up from ₦38,000 ($24).
Roaming customers face the most significant price hikes – local roaming, which allows customers to use Starlink kits beyond their homes or workplaces within Nigeria, will now cost ₦167,000 ($100) per month, up from ₦149,000 ($88).
International roaming will cost a ₦717,000 ($427) per month.
The letter said existing customers will begin paying the new rates starting October 31, 2024, while new subscribers will start paying immediately.
Incentives in Kenya missing in Nigeria
The cost of Starlink kit in Nigeria remains at ₦440,000 ($262), and unlike Kenya, there’s no rental option for those unable to pay the full amount. Nigerian customers also don’t have access to a cheaper 50GB plan like the KES1,300 ($10) option available in Kenya.
In Kenya, customers can also buy a more affordable Starlink Mini kit for KES 27,000 ($208). While it offers lower speeds of up to 100 Mbps (compared to the standard kit’s 200 Mbps), the monthly subscription is also cheaper at KES 4,000 (about $31). The standard subscription in Kenya costs KES 6,500 ($50).
These incentives are likely a response to increased competition from leading internet service providers such as Safaricom and Jamii Telecommunications. For instance, Safaricom recently increased its speeds to retain customers complaining about slow speeds and high prices.
Ghana
In Ghana, only the Starlink standard kit is available legally, and it goes for GHS5,390 ($340), which is higher than it costs in both Nigeria and Kenya. And the monthly subscription fee in Ghana in GHS770 ($49), almost the same as what both Nigerians and Kenyans pay.
