Starlink outperforms terrestrial internet service providers (ISPs) in Sub-Saharan Africa in terms of download speed, with recorded speeds of 75 megabits per second (Mbps) or higher in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025.
Ookla's insight, based on Speedtest Intelligence, comes as the satellite internet constellation threatens the continent's telecommunications market, offering an alternative for connectivity in Africa.
According to Ookla, while Starlink has latency issues, countries such as Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, and Ghana have the continent's fastest median download speeds.
In contrast, speeds in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Kenya, and Madagascar, which are undoubtedly some of Starlink's largest markets, were less than 50 Mbps, most likely due to capacity difficulties that prevent new sign-ups.
Nonetheless, these speeds are still more than double those of terrestrial networks in most nations during the first quarter.
Rwanda, Eswatini, and Botswana reached speeds of 85.53 Mbps, 86.18 Mbps, and 106.36 Mbps, respectively, placing them in the 85+ Mbps group.
Madagascar, Kenya, South Sudan, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria fall behind, with speeds ranging from 44 to 50 Mbps.
It went on to state that Starlink's arrival into the African market has greatly boosted access to fixed broadband, especially in Nigeria and Kenya, where it is now competitive. However, legislative barriers and differing costs among countries emphasise the challenges of developing satellite internet services in the region.
According to Ookla, Kenya leads in upload speed, with Ghana and Rwanda following closely after.
It said: “Kenya stands out prominently with the highest upload speed, nearing 15Mbps. Ghana and Rwanda are not far behind, both exceeding 13Mbps. A strong upper tier, including Burundi, Nigeria, South Sudan, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Botswana, also demonstrates healthy performance with speeds above 10Mbps. On the other hand, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar lag, with upload speeds remaining below 9Mbps.”
Ookla also noted that as the Starlink expands across Africa, it is essential for it to work with local operators to reach the continent’s underserved communities.
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