‘We Moove nowhere’

“Sold Out.” That’s the message Starlink, the Elon Musk-owned internet company, is now flashing in some of Nigeria’s busiest cities.

Here’s what happened: The satellite internet provider has stopped taking new orders in parts of Lagos and Abuja after maxing out its network capacity. For new subscribers, the only option is to join a waitlist and pay a deposit until an extra capacity becomes available.

This feels familiar. Starlink suspended new subscriptions in Kenya due to high demand, which was straining its network capacity. It was only after seven months that the company resumed taking fresh sign-ups across the country.

No, it’s not the first time Nigeria has been put on hold. In November 2024, Starlink suspended nationwide sales for nearly eight months, citing bandwidth limitations and pending regulatory approval. Orders eventually resumed in June 2025 along with the launch of a new walk-in office in Lagos. Now? Orders have been suspended again.

Why do they keep doing this? Starlink insists that these suspensions are meant to protect service quality. The internet provider doesn’t want its users to suffer from overcrowded networks. But these pauses raise doubts about whether its systems are sturdy enough to handle the crush of demand in a fast-paced market.

Zoom out: In Nigeria, the cost of Starlink subscriptions has doubled, and the number of active users fell from 65,564 in the last quarter of 2024 to 59,509 in Q1 2025. Each new suspension risks eroding users’ confidence in Starlink’s ability to provide stable, long-term service.

Drivers under Moove’s vehicle financing scheme aren’t moving today.

They’ve parked their Suzuki S-Presso cars and taken to the streets in Maryland, Lagos, to protest a 100% hike in their weekly payments for the vehicles.

If you didn’t know: Moove is a Nigerian startup that finances vehicles for ride-hailing companies, mostly under UberGo. The company planned to raise $300 million in June, a move that could push its valuation to $1 billion. When drivers get cars through Moove’s hire-purchase plan, they pay weekly remittances until they own the vehicles. It usually takes four years. These weekly remittances have now doubled to ₦56,400 ($75) from ₦112,200 ($38).

The numbers sting more when peeled back. Out of the $75 weekly remittance, only 33% ($27) goes to loan repayments. The rest is padded with add-ons split across a mix of maintenance, repairs, insurance, and a steep handling fee ($28.5). 

The drivers are now protesting this increase and also requesting that Uber cut its commission to 20% or lower.

Zoom out: Moove attempted to raise rates around this time last year, citing inflation and low interest rates. Back then, it was just talk. It has become a reality, hence the standoff. It is either Moove eases up on the hike or drivers learn to live with it.

Megamillion, a South African energy group, plans to establish wireless charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) across Africa. The chargers will be customised to support a wide range of vehicles, including trucks, cars, and motorcycles. 

Why wireless charging stations? Wireless charging stations could help make EV adoption more convenient. One of the main barriers to EV adoption on the continent is the costly wired infrastructure needed to operate charging stations for electric vehicles. 

Megamillion isn’t new to the EV space: In February, it announced the development of Africa’s first lithium-ion gigafactory in South Africa, through a joint venture (JV) with a Chinese firm. It’s a massive battery production and infrastructure play that improves Africa’s role in the EV value chain beyond being a hotbed for resource extraction.

Zoom out: Megamillion is expanding its position by rolling out wireless charging infrastructure for local charging stations used to power EVs through a partnership with Dash Dynamic, an Indian company. These charging stations will be piloted in public and private spaces like airports, shopping centres, and taxi stations in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

BasiGo, a Nairobi-based electric mobility startup, is doubling down on its mission to lead Kenya’s clean transport future. It plans to deploy 1,000 battery-powered electric buses on Kenyan roads over the next two years. 

Why does it matter? Road transport accounts for over 40% of Kenya’s energy consumption and is a major emission source. Kenya spends over $5 billion annually on fuel imports. BaisGo wants to see some of these expenses go into the electric mobility space in Kenya, but ambition may not always translate into reality. 

Between the lines: Kenya still lacks a comprehensive policy framework to support the efforts of electric mobility players. Rwanda, for example, has removed import duties on electric vehicles to support widespread adoption. South Africa’s power utility company, Eskom, has also committed to providing public 55 charging stations over the next two years to support EV adoption. Improper access to charging stations and high cost barriers to electric vehicles (EVs) continue to delay adoption.

BasiGo is working on a leasing model to help buyers overcome cost and infrastructure barriers by providing operators with maintenance and charging services. It also plans to expand into Nigerian and Tanzanian markets. The future of EV adoption in Africa might rely on businesses and startups providing electric-powered commercial bus systems and motorcycles. 

While Kenya’s consumers will not immediately have the luxury of buying first-hand EVs, BasiGo’s push could lay the foundation for the necessary cost incentives and infrastructure workarounds to foster real, local EV demand like in South Africa.

Source:

* Data as of 05.30 AM WAT, September 16, 2025.

Opportunities

• Applications are now open for Techstars’ Spring 2026 accelerators. Startups that make it in get a $220,000 investment, mentorship, lifetime access to a global network of investors and alumni, plus over $4 million worth of partner perks. Techstars says graduates raise an average of $1 million+ after the programme. Apply by November 19.

• Ask An Investor: Can a Lagos tech idea work in Abidjan? Mstudio is betting on this
• Nigeria ordered the sale of NITEL’s successor. Here’s why it still hasn’t happened
• Countries are struggling to meet the rising energy demands of data centres

Written by: Opeyemi Kareem and Ifeoluwa Aigbiniode

Edited by: Ganiu Oloruntade

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