• To battle MTN, Airtel, Globacom, 9mobile, others for market shareData from the Nigerian Communications Commission showed that the 114 access gaps in the country currently house some 25 million Nigerians without basic telephony services. It must also be stated that where there are coverage currently, telecoms services have not been optimal.
Musk had on Friday, tweeted @elonmusk that Starlink had been approved by Nigeria and Mozambique to provide services. At the commencement of the move last year, Musk had tweeted, where he disclosed that Starlink is, “expecting over 4,200 Starlink satellites in operation within 18 months, which is two-third of all active satellites of Earth,” which makes it a force against existing players in the country.
The coming of Starlink may be a decisive period for ISPs in the country, which has continued to reduce numerically due to supposed economic challenges, lack of innovation, among others, that have made many to close shops. Broadband users as at first quarter 2021, stood at 80.6 million with 42.7 per cent penetration in the country.
He said it is more than likely that those that live in the affluent parts of the cities will be able to now have an option to choose from. “So SpaceX will present a switching of customers from one technology to another at a price range that might exclude the low-income earners or those struggling to survive on a minimum wage.”
Submitting that there is ample market for all, Omoniyi said Nigeria is still a land of scarcity for good broadband service, stressing that the country is the most important and attractive Internet market in Africa, given its population, GDP size and level of penetration.
They have been licensed already. So all should get ready for whatever would come with it. Nigeria is the first African country to get started with Musk Starlink. I just hope they won’t take a lot from us.
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