Starlink, Elon Musk's satellite internet service provider, has announced plans to raise its subscription prices in Nigeria effective January 27. This marks the company's second attempted price adjustment in recent months.
In an email to customers, Starlink explained the increases are necessary to "continue enhancing the Starlink network and provide reliable, high-quality service across Nigeria." Under the new pricing structure, the basic subscription tier will rise from ₦38,000 to ₦75,000 monthly. The company's premium services will see even steeper increases, with mobile-regional roaming priced at ₦167,000 and mobile-global roaming at ₦717,000.
This announcement follows a similar price hike attempt in October 2023, when Starlink tried to increase its standard residential package by 97.37% (from ₦38,000 to ₦75,000) and raised hardware costs from ₦440,000 to ₦590,000. However, that increase was temporarily suspended on October 25 after the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) intervened, stating that Starlink had not obtained necessary regulatory approval.
The NCC initiated pre-enforcement action against Starlink following the October price adjustment, highlighting the regulatory challenges facing telecommunications companies in Nigeria. This situation reflects a broader industry dynamic, as other Nigerian telecom operators have struggled to secure regulatory approval for their own proposed tariff increases.
New subscribers will be charged the updated rates immediately, while existing customers will see the changes reflected in their upcoming billing cycles.