The satellite internet service company belonging to Elon Musk, Starlink, has deepened its African expansion with its launch of service in the Republic of Niger.
The West African country becomes the 18th African country which has adopted the use of Starlink to improve Internet connectivity.
According to a tweet on X, announcing the launch, wrote Starlink,
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“Starlink’s broadband Internet is now available in Niger”.
The launch of Starlink in Niger comes after military administration in the West African country in October 2024, signed a pact with Starlink for its Internet services in the country.
The Nigerian Minister of Communication and the Digital Economy, Sidi Mohamed Raliou, said that the agreement will allow Niger to benefit from a high -speed internet connection. The agreement aims to extend high speed Internet access to the whole nation while strengthening the country’s digital security.
“Starlink satellites already cover all of Niger. Schools, economic players, universities, health and agriculture will be able to benefit from this technology. Indeed, this equipment has sometimes been used by terrorist groups to communicate and coordinate their actions. The partnership with Starlink will allow the Nigerian government to implement enhanced security measures to prevent any illegal use of this technology, “he said.
The launch of Starlink in Niger will result in significant internet connectivity in the country. According to the report, The Niger Internet penetration rate represented 22.4% of the total population at the beginning of 2023. The analysis indicates that Niger Internet users increased by 219,000 between 2022 and 2023.
For the prospects, these user figures reveal that 20.72 million people in Niger did not use the Internet at the beginning of 2023, which suggests that 77.6% of the population remained offline at the start of the year.
By 2024, the estimates suggest that it had reached around 32%, although well below the world average. Most Internet access occurs via mobile devices, with 14.59 million cellular mobile connections at the beginning of 2023, which is equivalent to 54.7% of the population. However, fixed broadband remains rare, with only 3,596 subscriptions reported in 2012, and the median fixed internet speeds were measured at 4.47 Mbps in 2023, against 3.38 Mbps in 2022. Mobile connectivity dominates, but 3G and 4G coverage is limited, estimated at 24.87% and 18.41% in 2024.
The introduction of Starlink to Niger offered an agreement with the military government at the end of 2024, aims to fill these shortcomings. The satellite internet service targets an ambitious average speed of 200 Mbps, a significant jump in current capacities and seeks to extend large -band coverage to 80 to 100% of the country’s territory.
Starlink’s impact through Africa
Starlink quickly expanded its presence across Africa, offering high speed connectivity to the regions previously un served by traditional internet infrastructure.
This expansion had a significant impact on the digital landscape of the continent, influencing both consumers and existing telecommunications suppliers.
The network of more than 6,000 Starlink satellites allows it to offer rapid internet services in distant and rural areas, effectively punctuating the digital divide. In Nigeria, in the third quarter of 2024, Starlink became the second largest Nigeria Internet service provider, with 65,564 subscribers. This significant growth made it exceed Fiberone Broadband LTD, highlighting the raple expansion of Starlink since entering the Nigerian market in January 2023.
In particular, the introduction of Starlink disrupted the telecommunications market in Africa, which prompted traditional suppliers to reassess their strategies. The capacity of the service to offer broadband internet in areas previously neglected by conventional suppliers has led telecommunications operators to extend their scope in rural regions. This change aims to counter the growing influence of Starlink and to solve the long -standing problem of limited connectivity in these areas.
In several major African cities, the demand for Starlink services was so high that the service quickly reached its capacity, which led to reports on “selling”. This phenomenon highlights the significant appetite for reliable internet services through the continent and highlights existing shortcomings in the current telecommunications infrastructure.
Starlink’s expansion through Africa represents central development in the continent’s quest for complete digital connectivity. By providing high speed internet to poorly served regions, it has not only improved individual access, but also prompted traditional telecommunications suppliers to improve their services.
However, the trip is responsible for challenges, including regulatory compliance and market dynamics, which Starlink must navigate to maintain its growth and impact in Africa.
