One thing the African market shows, again and again, is that loyalty follows the pocket. In a region where macroeconomic winds like inflation, joblessness, and weakening currencies are blowing, affordability wins. Most times, not all.
And here's the thing: if you manage to undercut the competition, great. But the moment you lose consistency on speed, service, or price, people will look elsewhere. Fast. I'm not an economist, but you can quote me on that.
That's exactly the lesson Starlink is learning the hard way in Kenya.
When Elon Musk's Starlink entered Kenya in 2023, it was selling a future where access to fast, reliable internet didn't depend on cables buried underground or masts vulnerable to sabotage. Where connectivity came from space, immune to government censorship, outages, and blackouts. It was a compelling pitch, and for a moment, Kenyans bought it.
The context couldn't have been more perfect for disruption. Just months before Starlink's arrival, the government had restricted internet access during nationwide protests that left dozens dead. That moment shook public confidence in existing providers. Suddenly, satellite internet wasn't a luxury-it was an insurance policy.
