/ Insights Internet Starlink Tech in Kenya

CHART: Elon Musk's Starlink is now Kenya's 7th largest ISP

But while Starlink’s growth in Kenya is impressive, it’s still playing catch-up.

by Kelechi Edeh Emmanuel Oyedeji

Updated March 20, 2025

For a region like Africa, where internet outages aren’t exactly rare, it’s no surprise that when a company like Elon Musk’s Starlink shows up promising fast, uninterrupted service, people pay attention.

Since launching on the continent, Starlink has been on a tear, shaking up Africa’s broadband market, particularly in areas where traditional internet service providers (ISPs) struggle to deliver reliable internet. In Nigeria, for instance, it skyrocketed to the second-largest ISP with 65,564 subscribers in just two years—a wild climb from just 23,897 users in 2023.

Now, it’s pulling off a similar feat in Kenya—but not without challenges. Six months ago, Starlink wasn’t even in Kenya’s top 10 ISPs. Today, it’s ranked 7th, leapfrogging legacy providers like Dimension Data and Liquid Telecommunications with 19,146 subscribers. That’s a significant jump from 16,786 users just three months ago, proving that demand for satellite broadband is real—especially in places where fibre and mobile networks underperform.

But while Starlink’s growth in Kenya is impressive, it’s still playing catch-up. The company holds just 1.1% of the market, far behind Safaricom (36.1%) and Jamii Telecommunications (23.6%). Plus, after months of rapid expansion, its growth has started slowing down, dropping 72.9% in Q4 2024.

Meanwhile, Kenyan regulators and competitors aren’t making things any easier. Authorities are pushing to hike ISP license fees by 900% and introduce new levies that could make it harder for Starlink to expand. Also, with Starlink reportedly testing direct-to-mobile satellite services, its rivalry with Safaricom and Airtel Kenya may soon extend beyond broadband into mobile territory.

Still, Starlink isn’t backing down. It’s rolling out local infrastructure, slashing hardware prices, and setting the stage for a future where users may not even need a dish to connect. At this rate, Kenya’s broadband space might be looking very different in the next few years.