Despite being one of Starlink’s largest markets in Africa, Nigeria is experiencing slower internet speeds from the satellite service compared to several other Sub-Saharan countries. A new report from broadband analytics firm Ookla has exposed significant gaps in Starlink performance across the region, leaving many Nigerian users questioning the premium service.
The data shows Nigeria’s average Starlink download speed hovering around 49.6 Mbps, while Botswana enjoys a robust 106.4 Mbps. Other countries such as Eswatini (86.2 Mbps) and Rwanda (85.5 Mbps) are also way ahead. Even Burundi, with a median of 79.5 Mbps, and Sierra Leone at 77.8 Mbps, offer faster connectivity.
According to a spokesperson from Ookla who spoke to Nairametrics, network congestion is likely the primary reason. “Nigeria is arguably Starlink’s biggest market in Africa, so its network could be more congested than that in Botswana. The number of users connected to the same satellite can impact speeds,” the spokesperson explained.
Congestion, Coverage, and Hardware Impact
The report suggests that the number of satellites over a given region plays a significant role in internet quality. Areas with more satellites generally enjoy stronger signals and higher speeds. Another factor is the positioning and condition of the satellite dish, which can directly affect the terminal’s performance.
Yet, even with these limitations, Starlink still outpaces many traditional Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Nigeria and elsewhere. In fact, the Speedtest Intelligence data reveals Starlink delivers median speeds up to four times faster than local ISPs in several African countries. For instance, in Botswana and Eswatini, Starlink speeds were clocked at 106.36 Mbps and 86.18 Mbps, respectively—vastly higher than the 9.36 Mbps and 13.6 Mbps provided by other ISPs in those markets.
In Burundi and Mozambique, Starlink outperforms other providers by factors of 7.6 and 6.6, respectively. Even in Ghana and Rwanda, where local ISPs offer some of the continent’s fastest terrestrial internet at over 44 Mbps, Starlink remains the superior option.
Still, the performance gap is narrower in countries like Madagascar and Ghana, where Starlink’s lead over local ISPs isn’t as significant.
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