Starlink beats local ISPs in sub-Saharan Africa, but is it widening the digital divide?

Starlink, the satellite internet service from SpaceX, is making significant strides in transforming broadband access across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), according to a new report from Ookla released on May 13, 2025.

The report, titled “Connecting Africa: The Performance and Impact of Starlink’s Satellite Internet,” highlights Starlink’s performance in the first quarter of 2025, showcasing its ability to deliver high-speed internet to both rural and urban areas, often surpassing traditional terrestrial providers.

The Ookla report reveals that Starlink achieved median download speeds exceeding 40 Mbps across most SSA countries where it operates, significantly outpacing terrestrial internet service providers (ISPs).

In countries like Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, and Ghana, Starlink users enjoyed median download speeds of around 75 Mbps or higher. For context, these speeds are more than double those of terrestrial networks in most cases, offering a reliable alternative for users frustrated by inconsistent or slow connections.

In rural areas, where traditional broadband infrastructure is scarce, Starlink’s presence may be key to bridging the divide.

However, performance varied in some key markets. In Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Kenya, and Madagascar, median download speeds fell below 50 Mbps, likely due to capacity constraints and Starlink’s decision to pause new sign-ups in certain regions to manage network demand.

Despite these lower speeds, Starlink still outperformed local ISPs, underscoring the gap in terrestrial infrastructure. For example, in Nigeria, where internet penetration remains limited outside urban centres, Starlink’s ability to deliver consistent broadband has made it a game-changer for businesses and households alike.

Read also: 0MB/s in Maryland, 1.1MB/s in Ojota, see internet speed for MTN, Airtel and Glo across 13 areas in Lagos

The latency question

Latency, a critical factor for real-time applications like video calls and gaming, remains a challenge for satellite internet compared to fibre or mobile networks. However, Starlink has made notable improvements, particularly in East Africa.

The report notes that Kenya achieved a median latency of 53 ms, Nigeria 60 ms, and Rwanda 67 ms in Q1 2025. These gains are attributed to the deployment of local Points of Presence (PoPs), which serve as ground-based internet gateways.

Nigeria and Kenya already host PoPs, and a new facility launched in Nairobi in January 2025 has further reduced data travel times. By positioning PoPs near high-speed fibre networks, Starlink is narrowing the latency gap, making its service more competitive for urban users.

Upload speeds also saw significant improvements, especially in East Africa. Kenya’s median upload speed more than doubled to 14.85 Mbps, while Rwanda, Malawi, and Zambia recorded increases of over 60%. Other countries, including Madagascar and Mozambique, saw gains of 25% to 59%.

These improvements are critical for users uploading large files, participating in video conferences, or running cloud-based businesses, further solidifying Starlink’s appeal across diverse use cases.

Starlink’s technical edge lies in its use of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, which orbit closer to Earth than traditional geostationary (GEO) or medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites. This reduces signal travel distance, resulting in lower latency and faster speeds. Combined with strategic PoP deployments, this technology enables Starlink deliver performance that rivals or exceeds terrestrial networks in many SSA countries.

The broader impact of Starlink’s expansion is evident in markets like Nigeria and Kenya, where it has increased fixed broadband access and spurred competition. In rural areas, Starlink is closing the connectivity gap, empowering communities with access to digital tools previously out of reach.

However, challenges persist.

Starlink’s regulatory hurdles

Regulatory hurdles vary across SSA countries, with some governments imposing restrictions on satellite internet providers. Also, the cost of Starlink’s service, while competitive in some markets, remains a barrier for low-income households. The report also notes that scaling satellite internet to meet growing demand requires careful management of network capacity to avoid performance degradation.

Connectivity challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces significant hurdles in achieving widespread internet connectivity, which Starlink’s expansion is helping to address, but cannot fully resolve.

According to industry analyses, including insights from the Ookla report, the region has some of the lowest internet penetration rates globally, with only about 29% of the population online as of recent estimates.

The primary challenge is the lack of terrestrial infrastructure, such as fibre-optic cables and mobile towers, particularly in rural and remote areas where over 60% of SSA’s population resides. Building this infrastructure is costly and logistically complex due to vast distances, difficult terrain, and political instability in some regions.

Economic barriers further exacerbate the issue. High costs of internet services and devices remain prohibitive for many households, with a significant portion of the population living below the poverty line.

Even where connectivity exists, service quality is often poor, with frequent outages and slow speeds plaguing terrestrial networks. Regulatory challenges also play a role, as some SSA governments impose strict licencing requirements or high taxes on telecom providers, discouraging investment.

We would not forget that inconsistent electricity access in rural areas in sub-Saharan Africa – and some urban areas – complicates the use of internet-enabled devices, limiting the impact of services like Starlink that rely on powered equipment. These systemic issues underscore the complexity of closing SSA’s digital divide, even as satellite internet offers a promising solution.

_{Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.}