Personal finance expert, Kalu Aja has stated that the arrival of Starlink in Nigeria implies that a child in Ohafia, Abia State will have the same or quicker internet connection than a child in Ikoyi, Lagos.
He revealed this in a series of tweets in which he outlined the advantages of Elon Musk’s internet company, Starlink, expanding into Nigeria.
Nairametrics has reported that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has licensed Starlink, a satellite internet constellation managed by SpaceX.
Backstory
- Ryan Goodnight, Starlink’s Market Access Director for Africa, and Levin Born, a SpaceX consultant, paid a visit to the NCC in May of last year, expressing interest in obtaining a license to operate satellite internet in the country.
- Prior to the visit, the regulator and the space industry had been digitally discussing the issue until the NCC gave permission for a physical meeting.
- Suddenly, the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, tweeted that the Nigerian government had approved Starlink. Musk tweeted, “Starlink approved by Nigeria 🇳🇬 & Mozambique 🇲🇿”
- Nairametrics also verified that Starlink has been granted two licenses, including an International Gateway license and an Internet Service Provider (ISP) license, and that it will operate under the name Starlink Internet Services Nigeria Ltd.
What Kalu Aja is saying
Kalu Aja took to Twitter to enlighten Nigerians about the advantages of Starlink’s internet operations in the country.
He said, ”Starlink coming to Nigeria means a kid in Ohafia will have same or faster internet access than a kid in Ikoyi”
“A teacher (or Doctor) from “Ohafia” (a local government in Abia State, Nigeria) can move back to “Ohafia” where the cost of living is cheaper, open a school (or clinic), connect online, and create local jobs.”
He went on to list the possibilities of high-speed internet evaluating common pains suffered by Nigerians.
“A film crew in Jos can film & upload their videos direct from Plateau. A bank in Bama in Borno can be online in real-time with banks in Lagos. ABU Zaria students can stream high-speed videos from around the world…”
“That’s productivity, that’s GDP growth, that’s wealth creation,” he said.
A user, Property Captain, raised a question as a reply to Aja’s comments on SpeacX, asking. “Kid in Ohafia has 110USD monthly subscription?”
Aja however, responded with an optimistic outlook, “When Microsoft came to Nigeria, did kids in Ikoyi have $500 annual license for Windows? Patience…..”
What you should know
- Starlink had launched over 2,000 satellites as of mid-January 2022, with over 1,500 in operational orbit. The existing system has the capacity to support up to 4,408 satellites, almost trebling the current number.
- Starlink has the ability to deliver data faster than any other network. It has the capability of enabling low-latency data transport over long distances.
- While the Starlink satellite internet service may provide a better performance, the pricing, particularly in Nigeria, may make your eyes water.
- For this significant performance bump, you’ll have to spend extra. The company recently increased the price of its base plan, which now costs $110 per month (up from $99). In addition, the equipment’s price climbed from $499 to $599. There’s also a new Starlink service tier for businesses. It costs a stunning $500 every month, with the equipment costing $2,500.