Amazon’s ambition to ship satellite tv for pc Web in Nigeria is nearer to actuality, however it isn’t but prepared for lift-off.
Whereas the Nigerian Communications Fee (NCC) has granted Amazon’s low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite tv for pc undertaking, now branded Amazon LEO (previously Venture Kuiper), a key regulatory approval, the corporate nonetheless requires two extra licences, an Web Service Supplier (ISP) and an Worldwide Entry Gateway, earlier than it may legally promote Web providers or scale nationwide.
Amazon at the moment holds a satellite tv for pc touchdown allow, not a full working licence. In keeping with the NCC, the allow solely permits Amazon to beam satellite tv for pc protection over Nigerian territory. It doesn’t authorise the corporate to offer last-mile Web providers to customers or enterprises.
“In the event that they need to be an ISP or scale successfully, they are going to want a gateway licence,” mentioned Umar Abdullahi, Particular Adviser (Technical) within the Workplace of the Government Vice Chairman of the NCC, throughout his presentation on satellite tv for pc communications coverage on January 28, 2026.
Amazon’s want for 2 extra licences is essential as a result of, with out them, the corporate can’t legally ship or scale its satellite tv for pc Web service in Nigeria, regardless of already securing permission to beam protection into the nation. The lacking ISP and Worldwide Gateway licences decide whether or not Amazon can transfer from merely working in Nigeria’s airspace to really serving Nigerian properties and companies, shaping competitors within the broadband market, increasing connectivity choices, and influencing how shortly satellite tv for pc Web turns into an actual various for hundreds of thousands of customers.
“We don’t have extra to share on this matter at this stage, but when that modifications, we’ll you should definitely let ,” an Amazon spokesperson instructed TechCabal.
Amazon’s touchdown allow
Amazon LEO secured a seven-year satellite tv for pc touchdown allow, efficient from February 28, 2026, to February 28, 2033, with authorisation to make use of Ka-band spectrum.
The allow permits Amazon to function its area section over Nigeria as a part of a deliberate constellation of as much as 3,236 LEO satellites, supporting Mounted Satellite tv for pc Service (FSS), Cell Satellite tv for pc Service (MSS), and Earth Stations in Movement (ESIM) throughout the nation.
The approval locations Amazon alongside different satellite tv for pc operators already licensed by the NCC, together with geostationary suppliers similar to Intelsat and different space-segment gamers.
Nevertheless, Abdullahi famous that the touchdown allow is just one of a number of licences required to operate as a telecom service supplier in Nigeria.
“Amazon is only one supplier within the area section,” he mentioned. “The licence Amazon now has is a touchdown allow. But it surely’s not sufficient for Amazon to return into the market and supply last-mile providers. It might want to purchase extra classes of licences earlier than it may go into the place the likes of Starlink are.”
Securing the 2 licences
The ISP licence is the authorized basis for promoting web entry to the general public. It’s a five-year particular person licence that prices ₦500,000 ($357), plus a small software payment of about ₦10,000 ($7.14).
Whereas comparatively cheap, it comes with regulatory obligations, together with quality-of-service requirements, client safety guidelines, periodic reporting, and NCC approval for main company modifications.
In apply, the ISP licence is a low-cost entry level, nevertheless it presents restricted management over infrastructure. It permits an operator to promote Web inside authorised technical and geographic parameters, nevertheless it doesn’t grant wide-spectrum rights or worldwide connectivity privileges.
That’s the place the Gateway licence turns into crucial.
A Gateway licence, both for Worldwide Knowledge Entry or full Gateway Providers, is much extra highly effective and costly. The NCC at the moment expenses ₦25 million ($17,857) for a 10-year Worldwide Knowledge Entry licence and ₦50 million ($35,714) for a 10-year Full Gateway Providers licence.
This licence permits the holder to assemble, personal, and function worldwide gateway services, carry worldwide voice and information visitors, and interconnect Nigerian networks immediately with overseas networks.
For satellite tv for pc operators, it’s the licence that permits true national-scale wholesale providers and deeper management over worldwide capability, somewhat than counting on third-party carriers.
“Solely operational licensees with critical technical and monetary capability can get a gateway licence,” the NCC mentioned in its licencing steering. Candidates should already be lively available in the market, display sturdy community deployment, submit detailed technical and enterprise plans, and present sturdy monetary backing.
Why this issues
The excellence explains why Amazon’s entry into Nigeria will not be as easy as public notion would possibly counsel. Starlink, typically cited as Amazon’s closest comparability, went via a number of regulatory steps earlier than launching retail providers. Amazon continues to be at an earlier stage.
In Nigeria, the licencing construction is deliberate. By separating space-segment authorisation from last-mile and gateway permissions, the NCC retains oversight over market competitors, client safety, nationwide safety, and high quality of service, particularly as satellite tv for pc broadband turns into extra outstanding.
It additionally means Amazon can’t merely “swap on” retail web providers after launching satellites. It should both apply for added licences, associate with current Nigerian licensees, or undertake a hybrid wholesale mannequin that depends on native operators for last-mile supply.
Abdullahi famous that Amazon will not be coming into an empty discipline. “It’s not solely Starlink that’s taking part in within the area section,” he mentioned, pointing to current satellite tv for pc operators already licenced by the NCC. Amazon, if and when it completes the licensing course of, will merely grow to be yet one more participant in Nigeria’s satellite tv for pc communications market.
For now, Amazon LEO’s touchdown allow is a big first step, however it isn’t a licence to promote. Till the ISP and Gateway approvals are secured, Nigeria’s satellite tv for pc Web market stays open, aggressive, and tightly regulated.
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