Starlink to establish ground stations across Nigeria

Elon Musk’s internet company, Starlink, is set to build ground stations across Nigeria in a strategic effort to enhance connectivity throughout the country.

According to sources familiar with the project, the facilities will be developed on approximately 29,000 acres of land in three key locations: Okun Ajah in Lagos State, Sagamu in Ogun State, and Port Harcourt in Rivers State.

Starlink is partnering with Equinix, a leader in data center solutions, to construct these ground stations. Equinix entered the Nigerian market in 2022 with the acquisition of MainOne in a $320 million deal.

Construction has already begun in Okun Ajah and is expected to be completed by Q4 2024, with the other locations projected to be operational by 2025.

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These ground stations, also known as gateways, are critical for relaying data between Starlink satellites and the internet backbone on the ground.

By bypassing international data centers, Starlink aims to provide faster and more reliable internet services, reducing latency and improving overall connectivity in Nigeria.

This development could greatly benefit individual users and businesses, particularly in areas with poor internet access.

Since entering the Nigerian market in 2022 with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) license, Starlink has rapidly become the third-largest ISP in the country, driven by its satellite technology and widespread interest from Nigerian consumers.