Telecommunications companies in Nigeria are increasingly partnering with satellite providers like Starlink to expand internet access to rural areas, which are typically difficult to reach with traditional infrastructure such as towers and base stations .

According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), 27 million Nigerians, mostly living in rural areas, do not have access to telecommunications services. Broadband penetration in the country stood at 41.56 percent in September. The Federal Government also recently revealed that around 301 local government areas do not have access to the internet.

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The GSMA, the global telecommunications industry body, revealed in its report “The Mobile Economy in Sub-Saharan Africa 2024” that by 2023, about 13% of the population of Nigeria and all of Sub-Saharan Africa will was not covered by a high-speed mobile network. .

To fill this gap, telecom operators are leveraging partnerships with satellite and other non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) to overcome the limitations of rural connectivity.

Satellites, particularly LEO (Low Earth Orbit) models, are known to provide high-speed Internet access even in areas where deploying terrestrial infrastructure is expensive or impractical. The importance of satellite connectivity in Nigeria and across Africa has increased with the introduction of services like Elon Musk’s Starlink, which is sold out in some parts of the country.

The GSMA noted that LEO satellites and high-altitude platform systems (HAPS) have gained traction thanks to significant investments and technological advancements, which improve their scalability and cost-effectiveness. These technologies are particularly suitable for connecting remote areas where traditional networks are expensive.

Key partnerships

Some of these partnerships include that between Airtel Nigeria and Eutelsat OneWeb. This partnership will bring high-speed internet to remote areas and is part of a broader agreement between Airtel Africa and OneWeb, signed in November 2022.

MTN has collaborated with Omnispace, OneWeb, Starlink, Lynk Global and AST SpaceMobile to test various solutions aimed at increasing connectivity in rural areas.

“To keep customers and businesses connected at all times, we are going to have to embrace satellite as an additional form of technology,” said MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita.

Africa Mobile Networks (AMN) has also partnered with Starlink to connect its base stations in rural communities. The initial deployment took place in Nigeria in April 2024.

Apart from private companies, the government, through the NCC, intends to expand telecommunications access to 80 percent of rural areas by 2027, up from 40 percent currently. The commission aims to operate satellite solutions through NigComSat or private operators, the GSMA noted.

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The GSMA said satellites and NTN provide a route of connectivity to new customers in underserved and isolated areas. However, he noted that the availability of compatible devices will affect the adoption of satellite services.

When they become more commonplace, GSMA Intelligence estimates that telecom operators across sub-Saharan Africa will unlock a revenue opportunity of more than $30 billion by 2035.

Despite the potential of satellite technology, experts say it is only a stopgap measure, as fiber optic networks remain essential for long-term connectivity. Nigeria is closing its 90,000km fiber optic gap with a $2 billion Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). This initiative aims to expand the country’s fiber network from 35,000 km to 125,000 km.

The Ministry of Communications, Innovation and the Digital Economy has highlighted that low returns on investment discourage telecom operators from deploying infrastructure in rural areas, where internet usage is often low. However, satellite partnerships reduce deployment costs, making such ventures more commercially viable.

Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, said: “By laying this extensive fiber optic network, we aim to enable fiber optic connections up to base stations. »