New ISP and data access licences put Amazon in direct competition with Starlink as the race for LEO broadband dominance intensifies.
Competition in Nigeria’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) broadband sector is about to intensify after the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) approved two major operating licences for Amazon’s Project Kuiper.
The regulator has granted Amazon Kuiper a five-year Internet Service Provider (ISP) licence and a ten-year International Data Access (IDA) licence. With these approvals, Amazon Kuiper moves directly into Starlink’s line of fire, challenging the service that has so far dominated the LEO satellite internet space in Nigeria.
The NCC said the decision fits into Nigeria’s commitment to widening digital infrastructure and welcoming global players capable of expanding high-speed connectivity to underserved regions.
NCC’s position
The commission noted that the licence gives Amazon Kuiper the legal framework to run its satellite services in Nigeria as part of a worldwide constellation that could eventually include as many as 3,236 LEO satellites.
Under the approval, Amazon can deliver Fixed Satellite Services, Mobile Satellite Services, and Earth Stations in Motion.
This allows Kuiper to support broadband services for homes and businesses, while enabling high-mobility connectivity for aviation, marine transport, logistics, and other critical sectors.
The authorisation includes Ka-band usage, which supports high-capacity data streams. Amazon is targeting speeds up to 400 Mbps through 100 MHz channels, with consumer hardware priced to encourage widespread adoption.
A new challenge for Starlink
Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has enjoyed a comfortable head start in Nigeria. Market watchers estimate the service has more than 66,000 customers nationwide, making Nigeria one of Starlink’s quickest-growing markets.
Amazon Kuiper’s official entry sets the stage for a two-horse race between global tech heavyweights with the resources and technical scale to redefine Nigeria’s broadband landscape.
Industry analysts predict that the rivalry will shape pricing, speed consistency, coverage expansion, and customer-focused innovation. The expectation is that this shift will benefit users while reshaping the competitive terrain.
Why Nigeria is a strategic target for Amazon Kuiper
With a population of more than 200 million and persistent connectivity shortfalls, Nigeria remains one of the most crucial internet markets in Africa.
NCC figures show that more than 23 million people still lack reliable connectivity, and mobile broadband penetration stood at 50.58 percent in November 2025.
LEO networks, known for far lower latency than legacy geostationary systems, are viewed as vital to cloud-based services, fintech operations, e-commerce platforms, remote work, and digital inclusion.
Amazon Kuiper is also expected to pursue enterprise clients in oil and gas, mining, port operations, and logistics, where terrestrial fibre is costly or difficult to deploy.
Following its rebrand to Amazon LEO in November 2025, the company is expected to integrate Kuiper services with Amazon Web Services, creating bundled cloud-and-connectivity offerings.
Key background
Starlink secured its ISP and Full Gateway Services licences in 2022 and began full rollout in Nigeria in January 2023. It quickly gained attention for offering coverage across remote communities where traditional infrastructure is weak.
By Q3 2024, Starlink had become Nigeria’s second-largest ISP with 65,564 customers, behind Spectranet.
NCC’s latest data shows Starlink held that position in Q2 2025 with 66,523 users.
Amazon Kuiper’s entrance is expected to shake up the sector, creating tougher conditions for Starlink and intensifying pressure on local ISPs already struggling to retain subscribers.
