Satellite internet provider, Starlink, has suspended new residential subscriptions in Lagos and Abuja after announcing that its network in both cities has reached maximum capacity. Prospective customers in affected neighbourhoods must now join a waitlist before gaining access to the service.

Checks on the company’s portal showed that areas including Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lagos Island, Surulere, and multiple estates in Abuja display a “Sold Out” notice. Applicants attempting to register are prompted to pay a deposit to reserve a position on the waiting list. A notice on the service page for Chevyville Estate, Lekki, reads: “Starlink service is currently at capacity in your area. However, the good news is you can still place a deposit now to reserve your spot on the waitlist and receive a notification as soon as service becomes available again.”

This development comes barely three months after Starlink resumed nationwide sales in June 2025. The company had earlier suspended activations for eight months beginning in November 2024, citing bandwidth shortages and unresolved tariff disputes with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

An engineer affiliated with Starlink explained that the restriction is intended to maintain performance levels.

“It happens when the area cannot take a new customer due to its designed capacity at the time. This also ensures optimal network connectivity for the other users within the same geographical area,” he said.

Expanding the network, he added, would require additional satellite launches or regulatory clearance to expand ground infrastructure.

Starlink’s Nigerian operations have faced rising costs since its 2022 entry. Subscription fees increased from about N38,000 per month to nearly N56,000 in 2025, while equipment prices range between N300,000 and N670,000. The company cited exchange rate fluctuations, compliance costs, and inflationary pressures for the hikes.

The NCC sanctioned Starlink in October 2024 for what it described as unauthorized tariff increases in breach of Sections 108 and 111 of the Nigerian Communications Act. The regulator ordered a rollback to N38,000 monthly before approving moderated adjustments in early 2025.

Subscriber numbers have since been affected. NCC data shows active Starlink users fell from 65,564 in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 59,509 in the first quarter of 2025, representing the company’s first recorded decline in Nigeria.

Despite Starlink’s global footprint of over 6.2 million users as of July 2025 and more than 900 satellites launched this year, its average Nigerian download speed of 49.6 Mbps lags behind regional benchmarks such as Botswana’s 106.4 Mbps. Analysts attribute the gap to limited satellite coverage, overcrowded urban cells, and a small number of terrestrial Points of Presence.

The capacity freeze has intensified competition in Nigeria’s internet market. YahClick, in partnership with local ISPs, has introduced monthly plans from N25,000, while Tizeti offers solar-powered broadband at N5,000 per month for underserved areas. Eutelsat Konnect markets premium packages at $18,500 monthly, with speeds of up to 100 Mbps.

Similar service pauses have been reported in Kenya, Ghana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, where demand outpaces Starlink’s infrastructure. In Nigeria, the suspension has left thousands of households in Lagos and Abuja on waiting lists, awaiting notification of when service will resume. (The Guardian)