NCC Gives Starlink Subscribers in Nigeria Deadline to Complete Biometric Registration
- Over 66,000 Starlink users in Nigeria face potential service cuts without biometric registration in 2026
- NCC extended compliance deadline after initial November 19 deadline, emphasising no further extensions would be granted
- Starlink warned of service suspensions, urging users to complete a simple verification process through their app
Over 66,000 Starlink subscribers in Nigeria risk losing internet access after December 31, 2025, if they fail to complete a mandatory biometric registration ordered by the Nigerian Communications Commission.
The directive, first issued in August 2025, marks a major regulatory shift as the NCC extends its long-running subscriber verification framework beyond mobile networks to cover satellite internet providers.
Source: UGC
The move is aimed at strengthening identity verification, improving national security, and creating a unified and reliable subscriber database across Nigeria’s telecommunications ecosystem.
Timeline of the directive and deadline extension
An NCC spokesperson said the commission conveyed the requirement to Starlink in a letter dated August 19, 2025, initially granting operators three months to comply.
That timeline set an original deadline of November 19, 2025. However, following industry engagements, the NCC approved a short extension on November 17, pushing the final compliance date to December 31, 2025.
The commission has made it clear that no further extensions will be granted, placing the responsibility squarely on subscribers to complete the update before the year-end deadline.
Starlink warns of service suspension
Starlink formally notified customers of the requirement via email on Monday, December 29, 2025.
In the message, the company described the verification process as taking “less than two minutes” and warned that failure to comply would lead to service suspension.
The company also cautioned that restoring service after suspension may not be guaranteed.
Reactivation will depend on available network capacity in the subscriber’s location, meaning affected users in high-demand areas may be unable to reconnect immediately, or at all, if their zones are already at capacity.
What subscribers are required to do
According to a report by TechCabal, a Starlink employee, speaking anonymously due to authorisation limits, said the process is simple.
Subscribers are required to upload a clear headshot photograph, provide their National Identification Number, and consent to linking their NIN to their Starlink account.
The verification can be completed through the Starlink app or customer portal and does not require a physical visit to any office.
Capacity constraints raise the stakes
Network capacity issues add urgency to the directive. In Lagos, areas such as Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lagos Island, Ikeja, Surulere, Lekki, and several surrounding estates frequently appear as “sold out” or “at capacity” on Starlink’s availability checker.
Prospective users in these areas are often placed on a waitlist that requires a deposit.
A similar pattern has emerged in Abuja, where multiple districts have reached capacity and now accept only waitlist deposits rather than immediate residential activations.
Regulatory precedent from the mobile sector
The Starlink directive closely mirrors the NCC’s NIN–SIM linkage programme introduced for mobile operators in December 2023.
Under that policy, subscribers’ NINs were matched with SIM registration records, including biometric data, in collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission.
By the final deadline in September 2024, the NCC reported a 96 per cent compliance rate, with over 153 million SIMs successfully verified.
In August 2025, the commission announced the removal of all improperly registered SIMs from Nigerian networks, setting a precedent now being applied to satellite internet services.
Subscribers begin compliance
Some users have already completed the process. Lagos-based subscriber Tochukwu Nwankwu said he received an in-app notification in October and completed the update without difficulty.
Source: Getty Images
“It was just a panel on the app,” he said, comparing it to routine Starlink notifications such as software updates or signal alerts.
Airtel partners SpaceX to provide Starlink’s service in Nigeria
Legit.ng earlier reported that Airtel Africa has announced a partnership with SpaceX to introduce Starlink’s direct-to-cell satellite connectivity across all 14 countries where the telecoms company operates.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Airtel Africa said the satellite-to-mobile service is expected to begin in 2026, starting with data services for selected applications and text messaging.
According to the company, the partnership will allow Airtel Africa customers with compatible smartphones to access mobile network services in areas without terrestrial coverage, using Starlink’s satellite technology.
Source: Legit.ng
