Nigerians will now pay more than double to keep their Starlink operational
The monthly service price has increased by up to 97%.
Starlink users in Nigeria are facing a major price increase for the Elon Musk-backed satellite internet service, due to excessive inflation in the country, which reached 34.2% in June 2024.
In the email, cited by Techloy (as shown below), sent by Starlink to its customers in Nigeria, the monthly service price increased by up to 97%.
For example, the monthly subscription for the Standard (Residential) plan rose from ₦38,000 to ₦75,000. The price of the mobile regional (roam unlimited) plan also skyrocketed to ₦167,000 – more than three times the former price of ₦49,000. As for the cost of the Starlink kit, new customers will need to pay ₦590,000 up 34% from ₦440,000.
Starting today (October 1), the price adjustment will take effect for new customers, while existing customers will be affected from October 31, 2024.
Starlink cited Nigeria's "excessive levels of inflation" as the reason for the price hike, which is currently at 34.2%, as of June 2024. Since 2023, when Starlink debuted in the country, the Naira's valuation has dipped by about 70%, according to Bloomberg, making everything more expensive to run and maintain, even for businesses.
But this isn't the first time that the country's inflation has affected the Space X company's equipment pricing and subscription services. As reported by Nairametrics, the price of a Starlink kit reached as high as ₦800,000 in March 2024, due to Naira's instability. In comparison, it sold for ₦268,584 for a brand-new Starlink kit in January 2023, while the monthly subscription fee was ₦19,260, per a Techloy analysis.
As Starlink's popularity and adoption have increased in Nigeria, making it the third-biggest ISP in the country, Nigerians are gradually shifting from local ISPs to its satellite-based high-speed internet offering.
But with the new massive hike in prices, a reflection of the country's high inflation rate and poor economy, customers may now be considering other affordable options.
Emmanuel Oyedeji
