When Starlink announced it had paused new residential orders in Lagos and Abuja because its network was “at capacity,” the reaction was immediate: frustration, resignation, and a sense of déjà vu. For some Nigerians, it was confirmation that even the world’s most advanced satellite internet system is not immune to the harsh realities of doing business in Nigeria’s broadband market.
But this is not just about Starlink. It’s about the broader story of Nigeria’s struggle to deliver affordable, reliable internet to its people. From vandalised fibre cables to state government policy reversals, pricing wars, and widening rural-urban disparities, Starlink’s waitlist in Ikoyi and Surulere is just the latest reminder: Nigeria’s broadband future is still very much up for grabs.
The Broadband Dream vs. The Harsh Reality
Nigeria has long set bold digital ambitions. In 2020, the National Broadband Plan (NBP) outlined a vision of reaching 70% broadband penetration by 2025 and lowering the cost of internet access to under $1 per gigabyte.
On paper, this looks achievable. In practice, the country remains caught in a paradox: more players, more investment, more hype, but still too many Nigerians stuck with poor connectivity, sky-high costs, and erratic service.
Starlink’s congestion is a stark reminder that demand for the internet far outstrips supply. Nigerians want faster, more reliable connections, but the infrastructure isn’t keeping pace.
Why Starlink Stumbled
Starlink entered Nigeria in 2023 with big promises: fast, low-latency satellite internet that bypasses the usual infrastructure headaches. For rural communities, it was a dream. For urban elites, it was a status symbol.
But by mid-2025, cracks began to show. Starlink’s monthly tariff had jumped from ₦38,000 ($25) at launch to nearly ₦56,000 ($37). Its hardware, once subsidised, became more expensive. And now, even in areas where people can afford it, new orders are on hold because the system is overloaded.
An engineer familiar with the company’s operations explained the pause simply: “If we don’t manage capacity, everyone’s experience suffers.” In other words, Starlink had to choose between quality for current users and growth. It chose quality.
For consumers, however, this pause reinforces a bitter truth: whether it’s a global satellite provider or a local ISP, Nigeria’s internet story is always one step forward, two steps back.
Fibre Optics Under Siege
While Starlink battles congestion, fibre providers are fighting a different war: vandalism. Across Nigeria, fibre cables, the backbone of internet connectivity, are routinely cut, stolen, or destroyed during road construction.
In April 2025, for example, Lagos residents endured multi-hour outages after a major fibre cut disrupted MTN’s network; the same thing occurred in Anwai Road in Asaba, Delta state, a few months later. Similar incidents have plagued Airtel and MainOne. In many cases, thieves strip cables for resale, while in others, contractors accidentally sever lines during roadworks.
The result is often the same across the board: costly repairs, prolonged downtime, and a frustrated public. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) estimates that vandalism and accidental fibre cuts account for over 70% of internet disruptions nationwide.
For businesses that run on digital payments, cloud services, or remote work, this is not a minor inconvenience; it’s an existential threat.
The Right of Way (ROW) Betrayal
In 2020, Nigeria’s governors pledged to slash the cost of fibre optic Right of Way (ROW) permits to ₦145 per meter. It was hailed as a turning point that would accelerate broadband rollout.
Five years later, reality looks very different. Some states kept their word, with only Anambra, Kaduna, Katsina, and Kwara having truly implemented zero RoW. Others reneged, either reinstating higher fees or creating new bureaucratic roadblocks. In certain regions, operators say ROW delays have stalled entire projects.
This inconsistency makes long-term investment risky. Why would an operator pour billions into fibre when a state government can change the rules overnight? The ROW betrayal has quietly slowed expansion, especially in less profitable semi-urban and rural areas.
Urban Elites vs. Rural Exclusion
Nigeria’s broadband boom is starkly uneven. Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano attract the bulk of investment. Fibre lines are laid, Starlink dishes sprout on rooftops, and multiple ISPs compete for subscribers.
Meanwhile, rural Nigeria, home to more than 90 million people, remains stuck with patchy 3G or no internet at all. The World Bank estimates that fewer than 30% of rural households in Nigeria have any kind of meaningful internet access.
This is more than a connectivity gap. It is a development crisis. Without broadband, rural communities are excluded from digital education, telemedicine, e-commerce, and financial inclusion. It entrenches inequality and creates a two-tier internet economy: connected cities and forgotten villages.
The Price Squeeze
Even for those lucky enough to be connected, affordability is a growing concern. Internet prices have risen sharply due to forex devaluation, inflation, and regulatory compliance costs.
Starlink’s tariff hikes are only the most visible. Local ISPs and telcos have also increased prices, passing the burden of Nigeria’s economic crisis onto consumers.
For the average Nigerian household, the internet is becoming a luxury rather than a utility. This undermines one of the core goals of the National Broadband Plan: affordable, universal access.
What’s at Stake
Broadband is not just about scrolling Instagram or streaming Netflix. It is the backbone of modern economies. Without reliable internet, Nigeria cannot scale its fintech revolution, grow its digital economy, or compete with regional peers like Kenya and South Africa.
Consider just a few examples:
- Fintechs depend on a stable internet for real-time payments. Every downtime erodes trust.
- SMEs run online storefronts and rely on social media marketing. No internet, no sales.
- Education increasingly depends on e-learning platforms. Rural students are already falling behind.
- Healthcare pilots in telemedicine stall without stable broadband.
In short: Nigeria’s broadband struggles are not a tech issue. They are an economic, social, and national development issue.
The Way Forward
If Nigeria is serious about its digital future, several steps are urgent:
- Protect fibre infrastructure. Vandalism must be treated as economic sabotage, with stiffer penalties and better community policing.
- Enforce ROW agreements. State governments cannot be allowed to undermine national broadband goals. Federal intervention may be necessary.
- Balance pricing and accessibility. Regulators must ensure tariffs don’t put the internet beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians.
- Incentivise rural rollout. Through subsidies, partnerships, or public-private models, operators must be encouraged to expand beyond urban centres.
- Promote competition. A healthy mix of ISPs, fibre operators, and satellite providers will help keep prices in check and quality high.
Nigeria’s Broadband Future
The story of Nigeria’s broadband future will not be written by Starlink alone. It will be determined by whether Nigeria can fix its chronic infrastructure problems, enforce its own policies, and prioritise affordability and inclusivity.
Starlink’s waitlist in Lagos and Abuja is not just about satellite dishes and capacity limits. It is a mirror reflecting Nigeria’s broader connectivity crisis.
If fibre keeps getting cut, if state governments keep backtracking, if prices keep rising, and if rural communities remain excluded, then Nigeria’s digital economy will remain stunted.
But if we can fix these bottlenecks, the dream of universal, affordable broadband is still within reach. Nigeria does not lack ambition. What it needs now is execution.
Read Also: https://techsudor.com/starlink-halts-new-orders-in-major-cities-as-network-capacity-hits-limit/
