Starlink, the satellite internet provider owned by SpaceX, has reversed a planned price hike in Nigeria after the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) blocked the move. The company had earlier announced an increase in their base subscription price, raising the standard residential plan with a 1 TB fair usage policy to ₦75,000 ($48) from ₦38,000 ($24). The proposed price changes were supposed to take effect on October 31.
Local roaming, which lets Starlink users access the service beyond their homes within Nigeria, was set to jump from ₦49,000 to ₦167,000 monthly. Meanwhile, international roaming fees skyrocketed to ₦717,000.
In a post on X, Elon Musk justified the adjustments as a response to inflation. However, Nigerian regulators quickly stepped in, stating that Starlink had not obtained the required regulatory approval for the increases. The NCC noted that Starlink’s actions were in violation of Sections 108 and 111 of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) of 2003, which governs pricing for licensed ISPs in Nigeria. The commission directed Starlink to reverse the increase or face possible sanctions.
The NCC’s swift action highlights Nigeria’s strict guidelines for internet service providers, which include pricing restrictions. Other ISPs have also had requests for data price increases blocked by the NCC, reinforcing the commission’s commitment to keeping internet prices accessible.
For now, Starlink users in Nigeria will continue paying the original rates, thanks to the NCC’s intervention.
