The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued seven-year operating licences to Amazon’s Project Kuiper and BeetleSat, allowing the companies to provide non-geostationary satellite broadband services in Nigeria starting 2026, according to the office of the president’s special adviser on social media.
In a post on X on Saturday, the office described the licences as a major step toward expanding internet access, boosting competition with providers like Starlink, and improving connectivity in underserved and remote areas across Nigeria, Africa’s largest telecom market.
Official records on the NCC website show that the licences will be valid from February 28, 2026, to February 28, 2033, and include Ka-Band spectrum allocations for the companies’ frequency operations.
Amazon’s Project Kuiper received a landing permit for up to 3,236 satellites, which will beam broadband signals across Nigeria starting in 2026. Similarly, BeetleSat was granted a permit for its 264-satellite BeetleSat-1 constellation to provide coverage over Nigerian territory.
The NCC also approved Satelio IoT Services to operate in the S-band spectrum, with a permit valid from February 28, 2024, to February 28, 2030. Satelio’s licence allows its 491-satellite constellation to deliver signals over Nigeria, although the company has launched only one satellite so far.
The commission said the approvals were granted in line with international best practices, marking a significant expansion of satellite broadband services in the country.
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