By Anietie Usen
♦️Nigeria has 177,000 polling units, 15,000 have NO NETWORK. Buy Starlink for these 15,000 locations at an estimate of N500k each, that is N7.5bn. PROBLEM SOLVED…
♦️This might appear to be an advert for Starlink, but here are the facts:
♦️Starlink is a satellite-based internet constellation operated by SpaceX that provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet globally.
✅What’s Starlink Really About?
♦️Infrastructure-Free Connectivity: Unlike traditional providers that rely on underground fiber-optic cables or cell towers, Starlink beams internet directly from a constellation of thousands of small satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to a dish at your location.
♦️Performance:
Because these satellites are much closer to Earth (about 550km) than traditional geostationary satellites, the “lag” (latency) is significantly lower, making it suitable for video calls, gaming, and streaming.
♦️Global Mission:
Its primary goal is to bridge the “digital divide” by providing reliable internet to remote, rural, and underserved areas where laying physical cables is too difficult or expensive.
✅Is it the only provider in rural Nigeria?
♦️No, Starlink is not the only provider, but it is currently the most accessible for “truly” remote areas because it does not require nearby physical infrastructure.
Other options for rural or underserved areas include:
✅Other options for rural or underserved areas include:
♦️Mobile Network Operators (MNOs): MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile provide 4G/5G coverage in many rural towns. However, their signal strength often drops significantly in very remote villages.
♦️Local Satellite Providers: Companies like Coollink and Tizeti (in partnership with Eutelsat) offer satellite services specifically targeting unserved areas at lower monthly costs than Starlink, though often with slower speeds.
♦️Government Services: NigComSat (Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited) provides satellite internet primarily to government agencies and some private businesses in remote regions.
✅Future Competitors:
♦️Amazon’s Project Kuiper recently received licenses from the NCC to begin competing in Nigeria’s satellite internet market.
🔆While these alternatives exist, Starlink is often preferred in rural areas for its nationwide consistency—it offers the same high speeds in a remote village in Taraba as it does in Lagos, provided there is a clear view of the sky.
🔆NIGERIA ELECTIONS MUST BE SEEN TO BE TRANSPARENT, CLEAN, WITHOUT MAN-MADE GLITCHES, FOR THE SAKE OF NIGERIA: OUR PEACE, STABILITY, ECONOMY AND OUR DIGNITY AS A COUNTRY AND A PEOPLE.
