SpaceX, the spacecraft manufacturer and satellite communications corporation led by Elon Musk, is set to launch its Starlink satellite Internet service in Nigeria before the end of 2022, according to the Nigerian Federal Government.
The announcement was made by Isa Pantami, the minister of communications and digital economy, at the U.S.-Space Forum, held in conjunction with the recent U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington.
The Nigerian government recently entered into a partnership with SpaceX to bring broadband service to the country, with the rollout scheduled to occur seven months after the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) granted the company an Internet Service Provider (ISP) license.
Starlink is the satellite Internet service provided by SpaceX, Elon Musk’s space exploration company. It offers global high-speed, low-latency broadband Internet through a constellation of advanced satellites in low orbit around the Earth.
The service officially launched in Africa earlier this year, with Musk stating that it will operate anywhere on Earth where it is legally permitted to do so.
In May, Starlink received approval to operate in Nigeria and Mozambique. Its arrival in Nigeria has been in the works since 2021 when representatives from SpaceX visited the NCC to discuss obtaining an operating license in the country.
The rollout of Starlink in Nigeria is welcome news for a country that has struggled with inadequate Internet infrastructure and slow Internet speeds. The service has the potential to provide much-needed connectivity to millions of people across the country, including those in remote and underserved areas.
SpaceX is also planning to launch its satellite Internet service in Tanzania in the first quarter of 2021, subject to regulatory approval. The service will be available in Dar es Salaam, the capital city of Tanzania, and four other cities across the country.
Consumers will be able to access fast-paced Internet service through $99 installation kits that can be preordered on the Starlink website, using the company’s space infrastructure.
Musk recently lost his position as the world’s richest person to French billionaire Bernard Arnault, the chairman and CEO of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, this change in position occurred after the value of Musk’s Tesla stock, which makes up the majority of his wealth, dropped.
