According to the NCC, the permit aligns with global best practices for regulating satellite communications services and reflects Nigeria’s readiness to accommodate next-generation space-based connectivity solutions.
Nigeria has approved Amazon-backed satellite operator Kuiper Systems LLC to provide space-based communications services over the country, marking a significant step in the expansion of low Earth orbit satellite connectivity.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC ) has issued a landing permit to Kuiper Systems LLC for its Project Kuiper satellite constellation. The approval allows the company to beam satellite signals over Nigerian territory beginning in 2026.
Under the permit, Kuiper is authorised to deploy up to 3,236 non-geostationary low Earth orbit satellites using Ka-band frequencies. The constellation will support fixed satellite services, mobile satellite services, and earth stations in motion. The approval takes effect from February 28, 2026, and will run for seven years until February 28, 2033.
According to the NCC, the permit aligns with global best practices for regulating satellite communications services and reflects Nigeria’s readiness to accommodate next-generation space-based connectivity solutions.
The approval places Project Kuiper among a growing number of global satellite broadband initiatives seeking to expand coverage in emerging markets. Industry observers say the move signals Nigeria’s increasing openness to satellite-led broadband services, particularly for extending connectivity to underserved and hard-to-reach areas as competition intensifies in the low Earth orbit satellite market.
