Business

Elon Musk eyes Starlink’s expansion into Nigeria, other African nations

Published

2 years ago

May 24, 2022

Tesla owner, Elon Musk, has expressed the readiness of his internet service company, Starlink, to operate in Africa as the network provider looked to expand beyond the United States and European market.

Musk sent Starlink representatives to Nigeria in May last year to meet with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on the launch of the network in the country.

The meeting was to prepare the ground for the entry of Starlink in the Nigerian market to provide competition for MTN Nigeria, Airtel Africa, 9mobile, and Globacom, the four networks currently operating in the nation’s telecommunication industry.

In a post on his Twitter handle on Tuesday, the South-African billionaire promised to make public soon the African countries where the company would be sited depending on government approval.

Musk wrote: “Yes, first countries in Africa to be announced coming soon. Starlink will serve everywhere on Earth that we’re legally allowed to serve.”

Ripple Nigeria had gathered from Starlink website that the company would launch into Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, in the second half of this year.

“Starlink expects to expand service in your area by mid-2022. Availability is subject to regulatory approval. Within each coverage area, orders are fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis,” it said in a statement.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now