Starlink has temporarily paused new customer orders in specific parts of Lagos and Abuja. The company took this step to address growing network congestion caused by a surge in user demand. This development signals both Starlink’s rapid growth in Nigeria and the technical challenges that come with scaling high-speed satellite internet in densely populated areas.
Rapid demand strains Starlink’s network
Since its launch in Nigeria in early 2023, Starlink has grown quickly as more Nigerians look for reliable, high-speed internet. Many users in urban centres, especially Lagos and Abuja, switched to Starlink to escape the frequent downtimes and slow speeds of traditional internet service providers.
However, the company’s satellite-based system has a limited capacity in each coverage cell. As more users in Lagos and Abuja sign up, those cells have reached their designed bandwidth limits. Starlink has now restricted new orders in affected areas to prevent further strain on its network and protect service quality for existing users.
Existing customers remain unaffected
Starlink has clarified that existing users will continue to receive service without disruption. The pause only affects new customers who try to order the service from congested zones. On the company’s availability map, these areas now appear as “waitlisted,” meaning users can reserve their place but cannot get immediate activation.
This approach helps Starlink maintain the performance and speed levels that have made it popular among Nigerian businesses, remote workers, and households.
Plans to expand capacity
Starlink has stated that it is working to launch more satellites and ground stations to ease the congestion in high-demand zones. As new capacity becomes available, the company will reopen orders in Lagos and Abuja.
The pause highlights both Starlink’s strong market traction in Nigeria and the technical challenges of delivering stable, high-speed internet to growing urban populations. For now, users outside the affected areas can still order the service without restrictions
