Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by Elon Musk, has announced a significant price increase for its services in Nigeria. In a statement on Tuesday, the company revealed that the monthly subscription for its standard residential package will rise to N75,000, up from N38,000—a 97.37% increase. Additionally, the cost of Starlink hardware has been raised from N440,000 to N590,000.

The price of the mobile-regional roam unlimited service has also surged to N167,000, while the mobile-global roam service now costs N717,000. Starlink attributed the steep price hikes to “excessive levels of inflation.”

These new prices are effective immediately for new customers, while existing users will begin paying the increased rates from October 31, 2024. “As a current customer, your monthly service price will increase in one month, beginning 31 October 2024. For new customers, the price increase is effective immediately,” the company stated.

This development comes after Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy, urged Elon Musk in November 2023 to establish a maintenance program for Starlink in Nigeria. Tijani suggested that providing certified installers and enabling local hardware startups to produce repeater boxes would create thousands of jobs in the country.

The price hike is expected to affect Starlink users across Nigeria, particularly in remote areas where satellite internet is a vital means of connectivity.