The performance of the Starlink network in Kenya has deteriorated further as a widening customer base strains capacity, slowing average speeds and eroding the value for money of its internet service.
Latest speed tests by network intelligence firm Ookla reveal that Starlink’s internet speed in Kenya stood at 34.55 megabits per second (Mbps) as of March 2026, a 26 percent drop from 47 Mbps a year earlier and an all-time low.
The decline follows growing subscriber numbers in Kenya amid Starlink’s continued expansion, with many of its markets relying on ground infrastructure in Nairobi and Johannesburg.
As of March, Starlink had 24,999 subscribers in Kenya, according to the latest Communications Authority data, accounting for 0.9 percent of the market and marking a steep rise from 17,066 a year earlier.
Bandwidth strain
According to Ookla, Starlink’s declining performance in Kenya is directly linked to the surge in subscriptions, which continues to strain its network and reduce available bandwidth for a growing number of users.
“Countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Madagascar show signs of bandwidth bottlenecks. This aligns with the heavily populated or highly subscribed countries that forced Starlink to pause sign-ups,” said Ookla’s lead industry analyst for the Middle East and Africa, Karim Yaici.
Kenya now has the third-highest number of Starlink subscribers in Africa after Zimbabwe and Nigeria, which have 67,067 and 66,523 customers respectively. This places Kenya among the African markets where the American firm has recorded widespread adoption and commercial success.
Speed decline
However, countries that have seen widespread Starlink adoption in Africa have also recorded some of the sharpest declines in speeds, pointing to growing pressure on bandwidth as more users join the network.
The three countries with the highest number of subscribers now record some of the lowest speeds on the continent. Nigeria recorded average speeds of 48.37 Mbps, while Zimbabwe recorded 34.37 Mbps. Most countries on the continent report speeds of more than 50 Mbps.
The worsening performance of the Starlink network has narrowed its lead over local internet service providers in Kenya, with its average speeds now only 2.24 times higher than the average speeds offered by local ISPs.
This has slowed the uptake of Starlink’s services in Kenya, with local telecommunications firms, including Safaricom and Mawingu, outpacing it in customer acquisition and market penetration.
After pausing new sign-ups in November 2024 because of capacity constraints, Starlink’s market share in Kenya shrank and is yet to recover. Smaller ISPs, including Vilcom Networks and Ahadi Wireless, have since overtaken it in the market.
Last year, Starlink added only 3,136 customers, a significant slowdown from the 8,063 it added in 2024 and the 11,083 it gained within its first year of operation in Kenya, reflecting possible customer dissatisfaction with declining speeds.
