Starlink halts hike in monthly subscriptions in Nigeria

Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has paused its planned increase in monthly subscriptions for Nigerian users.

In a message sent to subscribers on Thursday, the company, which serves 24 million users, stated that the price hike would be suspended while it addresses regulatory issues.

Customers who have already been charged the higher rate will receive a credit and are reminded they can cancel their subscriptions if desired.

The previous increase had raised the monthly service fee from ₦38,000 to ₦75,000—a 97% jump—which led to complaints from users.

The cost of the installation kit for new users also rose from ₦440,000 to ₦590,000, a 34% increase.

Starlink explained that the price adjustment was initially made to cope with inflation and maintain reliable service.

However, it stressed the need for regulatory support to implement further improvements.

Additionally, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recently withdrew a statement regarding Starlink’s operations, admitting it was issued in error and requesting retractions from media outlets. Mobile operators have also criticised Starlink’s actions, describing them as a “regulatory affront.”