Starlink reopens Nigeria business plans at ₦159,000

Starlink has restored access to its Business, or Priority, internet plan in Nigeria’s most congested cities. This has eased months of capacity constraints for users in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

The reopening began on Feb. 14 and applies only to the higher-priced Priority tier, according to checks on Starlink’s website. Residential subscriptions remain unavailable in several dense urban areas.

This offers relief to customers who have faced repeated “Sold Out” notices. However, it comes at a sharply higher cost of ₦159,000 ($99.38) per month, excluding hardware that can exceed ₦4 million ($2,500).

Starlink did not introduce a new product. Instead, it reinstated a plan that had been suspended alongside residential orders as congestion worsened in major cities. In neighbourhoods such as Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lekki and Surulere, customers are now limited to the Priority plan or a waitlist.

A notice displayed across multiple Lagos locations reads: “Due to high demand in your area, only Priority Plans are available.”

The decision matters because Nigeria is Starlink’s largest African market by population and one of its fastest-growing. Prolonged service restrictions risk revenue losses and customer churn, particularly as rivals prepare to enter the market.

By reopening the higher-priced tier, Starlink can monetise pent-up demand while maintaining a foothold in its most valuable urban centres. It also helps defend market share as competitors, including Amazon’s Project Kuiper, prepare African rollouts after securing Nigerian regulatory clearance earlier this year.

Starlink’s congestion issues in Nigeria date back to late 2024, when capacity limits coincided with a pricing dispute with the Nigerian Communications Commission. That standoff led to an eight-month freeze on new residential orders nationwide.

Although residential sales resumed in mid-2025 at a moderated ₦57,000 monthly fee, demand in major cities has continued to outstrip capacity. Since September, several Lagos and Abuja districts have remained closed to new home users.

The Priority plan includes 1 terabyte or 2 terabytes of priority data, after which speeds may be deprioritised. Business customers also receive enhanced support and a publicly routable IPv4 address.