The Federal Government said that Elon Musk’s satellite company, space xwill unfold Starlink Internet Service before the end of this year. This is even when the Nigerian government partnered with Space X for the provision of the broadband service in Nigeria.
This was announced by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, at the US-Space Forum held together with the recently concluded US-Africa Leaders Summit in washington.
According to the Minister’s statement, the launch of Starlink will come seven months after the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) issued the Internet Service Provider (ISP) license to the company.
Administrative delay: Remember that Space X had promised to launch its satellite broadband service in Q3 2022 to cover all of Nigeria, but moved it to Q4, citing regulatory issues. Pantami confirmed it by saying:
- “The nationwide launch will take place before the end of 2022, after the conclusion of some administrative processes.”
Partnership with SpaceX: Announcing the partnership with Space X, Pantami said the Nigerian government has approved the company’s application as a High Throughput Satellite (HTS) Low Earth Orbit (LEO) operator in the Nigerian telecommunication sector. He said:
- “As part of the partnership, Space X will provide broadband access throughout Nigeria, enabling national access to broadband connectivity well in advance of the December 2025 schedule, as outlined in our National Broadband Plan. With this collaboration with SpaceX’s Starlink, Nigeria will become the first African country to introduce the service.”
Artemis Accords signed: Meanwhile, the Minister at the US-Africa Leaders Forum on behalf of Nigeria signed the Artemis Accords to signal Nigeria’s participation in the next phase of space exploration to be coordinated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( POT). Nigeria and Rwanda were the first two African countries to sign the Agreement and the 22nd and 23rd in the world.
Commenting on the signing of the Accords, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said:
- “I am delighted that Nigeria and Rwanda are committing to the safe and sustainable use of outer space. In an era when more nations than ever have space programs, today’s firms highlight a growing commitment to ensure space exploration is conducted responsibly.”
- “As the first African nations to sign the Artemis Accords, Nigeria and Rwanda exemplify the global reach of the agreements and are demonstrating their leadership in space exploration.”