Starlink loses over 2,000 Kenyan users in 3 months as market share drops below 1 per cent
In November 2024, Starlink halted new subscriptions in Nairobi and nearby counties, citing limited network capacity.
Over 2,000 users dropped Starlink’s satellite internet service in Kenya within three months, after a temporary suspension of new sign-ups stalled the company’s previously rapid growth in the local market.
Data by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) shows the drop in users pushed Starlink’s market share below one per cent, marking its first decline since entering the Kenyan market in June 2023.
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In the quarter to March 2025, Starlink’s active user base in Kenya dropped to 17,066, a 10.8 per cent fall from 19,146 subscribers recorded in December 2024. The dip saw its market share shrink from 1.1 per cent to 0.9 per cent, moving the firm from seventh to eighth place among internet service providers (ISPs).
It was overtaken by Dimension Data, which now controls one per cent of the market.
The overall number of fixed broadband subscriptions across the country rose by 138,895 during the same period to reach 1.85 million, highlighting the contrasting trend of growth among Starlink’s competitors.
Starlink suspended new subscriptions in Nairobi and surrounding counties in November 2024, citing limited network capacity. The pause stalled the uptake of its satellite internet service, which had shown consistent growth since its Kenyan debut.
Kenya’s satellite‑internet market
CA data show that total satellite‑internet subscriptions fell by 1,928 (9.9 per cent) from 19,403 in December to 17,475 in March, a drop largely driven by Starlink, which controls 97 per cent of Kenya’s satellite‑internet market.
“Satellite internet subscriptions dropped by 9.9 per cent compared to quarter two of the 2024/2025 financial year, a decline attributed to the drop in subscriptions of the Low Earth Orbit satellite internet provided by Starlink Internet Services Kenya,” the CA said in its quarterly statistics bulletin.
The March 2025 quarter marked the first time satellite internet subscriptions declined in the country since Starlink launched operations locally.
Starlink has since resumed onboarding new subscribers in Kenya, ending the eight-month suspension that affected its performance in the market.
Safaricom market share
In contrast, Safaricom, the leading player in Kenya’s fixed internet segment, added 56,949 new subscribers during the quarter, increasing its market share from 36.1 per cent in December to 36.5 per cent in March.
Other providers also recorded growth: Jamii Telecommunications (Faiba) added 12,663 new users, Poa Internet gained 23,461 subscribers, and Wananchi Group (Zuku) saw a rise of 3,606 users. Only Vijiji Connect posted a decline in subscriber numbers during the review period.
Starlink had recorded swift growth after entering the Kenyan market, reaching 0.5 per cent market share by September 2024 and doubling that within three months.
However, this rapid expansion overwhelmed its network, prompting the November pause in new sign-ups not just in Kenya, but also in fast-growing African markets such as Nigeria and South Sudan.
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