Elon Musk explains why Starlink is ‘sold out’ in Accra and other African cities

Starlink’s satellite internet service, owned by tech billionaire Elon Musk, is currently "sold out" in Accra, along with other major African cities such as Harare, Lusaka, Nairobi, Abuja, Lagos, and Port Harcourt, due to overwhelming demand.

Musk has acknowledged the situation and assured users that Starlink is working swiftly to expand network capacity in urban areas across the continent.

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As Starlink’s network demand surged beyond available capacity, the company updated its status for these cities from “Expanding in 2025” to simply “Sold Out”.

This has caused concern among residents in Accra who were unable to subscribe before the network reached full capacity. In the affected areas, Starlink has paused new Residential subscriptions, making only business packages available, but even these can only be purchased through local authorised resellers at a premium.

Musk addressed the issue on X (formerly Twitter), explaining that the company was prioritising efforts to boost capacity in high-density urban areas.

“Starlink is working to increase Internet capacity in dense urban areas in Africa as fast as possible,” he stated, while noting that “there is still significant capacity outside of city centres.” His comments suggest that those in rural or less densely populated regions may still access Starlink services without restriction.

In Ghana, acquiring the necessary Starlink hardware requires an initial cost of GH₵5,390, with an additional GH₵354 for shipping. The monthly subscription for Starlink’s basic plan costs GH₵770, making the service a premium option for Ghanaians seeking reliable high-speed internet.