Infratel tests Starlink in Nigeria as backhaul option for rural NuRAN sites

Details: John Tanner; Category: Satellite Networks; 24 September 2026; 540 views

NuRAN Wireless revealed on Tuesday that telecoms infrastructure service provider Infratel has launched a pilot at a rural NuRAN site in Nigeria to evaluate Starlink’s LEO satellite service as a potential backhaul solution.

The Infratel pilot will integrate NuRAN's rural solution with Starlink’s LEO satellite connectivity to validate the performance, reliability, integration and cost efficiency of LEO backhaul at a commercial scale.

NuRAN said the pilot will also see how LEO backhaul can not only accelerate 4G migration and higher-capacity rural connectivity, but also unlock potential new revenue streams at select rural sites for NuRAN's other infrastructure platform initiatives, such as edge AI, local compute and NuEnergy-related services.

If the pilot is successful, it could create a copy-and-paste blueprint for NuRAN’s markets where it has installed rural connectivity solutions for telcos like Orange and MTN, and also where Starlink is legally available via licenced partners.

Currently, that means Democratic Republic of the Congo, Benin and Côte d'Ivoire, the latter of which NuRAN expanded into in June this year. NuRAN has also deployed its rural connectivity solutions in Cameroon, where Starlink is still undergoing the licencing process.

NuRAN Wireless director and CEO Francis Létourneau said that while the company will continue to prioritise terrestrial backhaul technologies when feasible, Starlink will broaden its backhaul options and thus its growth opportunities.

“As we advance 4G migration, edge AI, NuEnergy and other infrastructure-led initiatives, our focus is on deploying scalable solutions that enhance the utility, capacity and long-term value of our rural site portfolio,” Létourneau said in a statement. “If this pilot performs the way we expect, we have a repeatable model we can take across our African footprint.”