Starlink Unveils N159,000 Priority Plan in Lagos, Abuja, as Residential Users Remain Locked Out
- Starlink has introduced a premium pricing model in Nigeria's major cities for immediate business access
- Residential users face waitlists and high demand as subscriptions remain unavailable in urban centres
- Competition heats up with Amazon's Project Kuiper aiming to challenge Starlink in the Nigerian market
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
Elon Musk’s satellite internet company, Starlink, has introduced a new pricing structure in Nigeria’s busiest cities, effectively reserving immediate access for businesses and high-paying customers.
Since February 14, 2026, the company has made its Business Priority service available in high-demand urban centres, including Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.
Source: Getty Images
The move offers a workaround to the persistent “Sold Out” notices that have blocked new residential sign-ups for months. However, the price is steep: N159,000 per month, roughly $99.
In prime Lagos districts such as Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lekki and Surulere, residential subscriptions remain unavailable.
Prospective home users are redirected to waitlists, often required to pay deposits without any firm installation timeline.
What the priority plan offers
The Priority tier includes either 1TB or 2TB of high-priority data monthly before users face possible slowdowns during network congestion.
While total data usage remains technically unlimited, speeds may be reduced after priority thresholds in peak periods.
Subscribers also receive enhanced customer support and a public IPv4 address, a feature particularly useful for businesses operating servers, virtual private networks or remote surveillance systems.
Hardware costs significantly increase the barrier to entry. Standard kits cost around N590,000.
Business customers, however, are encouraged to opt for the more durable Flat High Performance dish, priced between N3.15 million and N4.1 million.
The premium hardware is designed to withstand heavy rainfall and maintain stability in densely populated areas.
Rising competition on the horizon
The timing of the price rollout comes as competition begins to heat up. Amazon’s Project Kuiper secured landing rights in Nigeria in January 2026, positioning itself as a future challenger in Africa’s largest market.
By focusing on premium customers in saturated urban zones, Starlink appears to be protecting revenue streams while it works to expand capacity. Retaining business clients may prove critical as rival satellite operators prepare to enter the field.
How Nigeria compares across Africa
Across Africa, Starlink’s residential pricing varies widely. In Kenya, a Residential Lite package begins around $10 for 50GB capped data, while unlimited plans typically range between $28 and $38.
TechCabal reported that countries such as Mozambique, Ghana, Rwanda and Zimbabwe often fall within the $28 to $34 range for basic unlimited service.
In Nigeria, when residential slots are available outside congested areas, monthly rates hover between $35 and $40 following earlier adjustments.
Against this backdrop, the N159,000 Priority fee marks a sharp jump that places the service firmly in the premium bracket.
The network currently operates in roughly 26 African countries, including early markets such as Nigeria, Kenya, Mozambique and Rwanda, with more recent expansions into Ghana, Zimbabwe, Senegal and Liberia.
South Africa remains pending due to regulatory ownership requirements.
Capacity constraints persist
Nigeria’s bottleneck began in late 2024 as demand surged beyond available ground infrastructure and spectrum capacity, according to a BusinessDay report.
A pricing dispute with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) halted new residential orders nationwide for eight months, from November 2024 through June 2025.
Even after sales resumed at N57,000 for residential service, demand in Lagos and Abuja continued to overwhelm supply.
From September 2025, several dense urban areas remained closed to new home users.
Although satellite launches continue at a rapid pace, ground stations, gateway infrastructure and regulatory processes still limit how much bandwidth can reach customers in crowded cities.
For many residents in Lagos and Abuja, reliable high-speed internet remains just out of reach.
Starlink’s premium strategy may secure its foothold for now, but broader relief will depend on how quickly expanded orbital capacity translates into real-world connectivity on the ground.
Source: Getty Images
NCC issues 6 new licences to internet providers
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has granted operating licences to six new Internet Service Providers (ISPs), a move aimed at expanding competition in Nigeria’s increasingly contested broadband market.
According to data from the NCC’s updated licensing database, the approvals took effect from January 1, 2026, raising the total number of authorised ISPs in the country to 231, up from 225 recorded in December 2025.
The newly licensed companies are Intellvision Technologies Limited, Granet Technologies Limited, Fiber Sonic Limited, Dasol Solution Services Limited, Boost ISP Limited, and Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited.
Source: Legit.ng
