Nairobi City County has embraced cutting-edge Starlink technology, developed by SpaceX, to enhance service delivery for its residents, a move that caught the attention of SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk.
On Tuesday, September 17, Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his excitement about the integration of Starlink in Nairobi’s City Hall. Musk posted a brief but enthusiastic message: “Starlink in Nairobi,” marking the development as a significant milestone for the satellite internet service
Tiras Njoroge, the Chief Officer of ICT Infrastructure for Nairobi City County, announced the integration of Starlink, highlighting the expected improvements in customer service. “We are excited to announce the integration of Starlink satellite technology into our Customer Service Centre, aimed at enhancing and improving service delivery to the residents of Nairobi. This upgrade will provide seamless, high-speed connectivity, allowing for faster and more reliable access to the Nairobi Pay system,” Njoroge stated.
With Starlink’s high-speed satellite internet, Nairobi’s residents can now expect more efficient access to essential services, reducing delays and improving the overall user experience when engaging with City Hall’s online platforms.
‘‘The reason Starlink is the only global high-bandwidth Internet system of any kind, terrestrial or space-based, is that it is a staggeringly difficult technology problem,” Musk said. “We had to invent so much technology from scratch! There is no supplier to whom one can go to buy the pieces needed to build something like Starlink, because they don’t exist.”
The introduction of Starlink in Kenya has generated widespread excitement on social media, with many users praising the high-speed internet service. Some even expressed their intention to switch from Safaricom to Starlink, given its superior performance. This comes amid rumors that Safaricom had disabled the option to pay for Starlink services via M-PESA, a claim the telecom giant quickly refuted.
In an August 28 statement, Safaricom clarified, “This isn’t factual, the option is still there. Please reach out to us in case of any challenges faced.”
Safaricom has previously raised concerns about the entry of satellite internet providers like Starlink into the Kenyan market. The company requested that the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) reconsider its decision to grant Starlink a direct operating license. Safaricom argued that satellite providers should only operate under agreements with local companies rather than being licensed independently.
In response, CA assured Safaricom that it is free to voice regulatory concerns but reiterated that the licensing of satellite service providers would proceed as necessary for market growth.
With Starlink now part of Nairobi’s infrastructure, the city takes a significant step toward modernizing its public services. This development not only improves service delivery but also underscores Kenya’s commitment to adopting innovative technologies to better serve its population.