Nigeria's Starlink Speed Affected by Network Congestion
According to Ookla's report, the average download speed for Starlink users in Nigeria is 49.6 Mbps. This figure places Nigeria behind several other Sub-Saharan African countries utilizing the same network. For instance, Botswana enjoys significantly faster average speeds of 106.4 Mbps.
Explaining this disparity, an Ookla spokesperson pointed to network congestion as the primary factor affecting Nigeria's Starlink performance. "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 told Nairametrics. This observation aligns with earlier reports indicating Starlink's rapid growth in the Nigerian market, becoming the second-largest Internet Service Provider (ISP) in the country with 65,564 customers by the third quarter of 2024.
Regional Speed Disparities Highlight Network Load
The Ookla report further detailed Starlink speeds in other African nations, illustrating a spectrum of performance. Botswana leads the pack with its impressive 106.4 Mbps average speed, followed by Eswatini (86.2 Mbps) and Rwanda (85.5 Mbps). Burundi (79.5 Mbps), Sierra Leone (77.8 Mbps), Mozambique (75.7 Mbps), Ghana (75.1 Mbps), Malawi (71.3 Mbps), and Zambia (69.7 Mbps) also demonstrate faster Starlink speeds than Nigeria. Conversely, countries like Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Kenya, and Madagascar are experiencing even lower average speeds than Nigeria.
Ookla also highlighted that factors beyond user numbers can influence Starlink speeds. The density of satellites overhead plays a crucial role, with a greater number of satellites potentially leading to stronger signals and faster speeds. Additionally, the quality and positioning of the user's satellite dish (terminal) can impact the overall performance of the connection.
Starlink's Superiority Over Terrestrial ISPs
Despite the internal variations in Starlink speeds across the region, the report underscores a consistent trend: Starlink significantly outperforms traditional terrestrial internet service providers in all surveyed African markets.
"According to Speedtest Intelligence, Starlink delivers substantially higher median download speeds than the overall median for other ISPs across all surveyed markets," the report stated. To illustrate this, in Botswana and Eswatini, Starlink offers median speeds of 106.36 Mbps and 86.18 Mbps, respectively, dwarfing the 9.36 Mbps and 13.6 Mbps provided by other ISPs. Similarly, in Burundi and Mozambique, the speed advantage of Starlink over other ISPs is substantial. Even in Ghana and Rwanda, which boast the fastest median download speeds for terrestrial ISPs in Q1 2025, Starlink's performance remains superior.
More broadly, Starlink's speeds are typically two to four times faster than those offered by other ISPs in countries like Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia. However, the speed difference is less pronounced in a few markets, including Ghana, Rwanda, and Madagascar.
High Demand Fuels Growth Despite Higher Costs
Despite its relatively higher cost compared to local internet service providers, Starlink has generated significant interest in Nigeria since its launch in January 2023. Nigerians, often seeking more reliable and faster internet options, have been quick to adopt the satellite service. Its ability to provide connectivity in areas with poor or non-existent terrestrial infrastructure further fuels its appeal. The rapid customer acquisition by Starlink in Nigeria, far outpacing many long-established local ISPs, underscores the demand for its services despite the current challenges with network congestion impacting speeds.