Amazon Leo, Competitor to Starlink, Opens Waitlist for Multiple Countries, Nigeria Included

Amazon Leo, a new satellite internet service competing with Starlink, has just opened a waitlist for people in multiple countries, including Nigeria, to sign up as early users when the service launches. This is exciting news for anyone who’s been waiting for fast, reliable internet in places that don’t always get the best coverage. Amazon has already started testing Leo with some business customers, and they expect a wider rollout sometime in 2026.

If you want to join the waitlist, you’ll find three types of users you can register as: Government agencies and public services like schools and hospitals, personal users like yourself, and businesses or corporate customers. This way, Amazon can tailor the service for different needs right from the start.

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The service offers three kinds of internet antennas to suit various needs:

• Ultra: This one is the fastest, with download speeds up to 1Gbps and upload speeds reaching 400Mbps. Amazon says it’s set to be the fastest satellite internet antenna on the planet.

• Nano: The smallest and lightest of the bunch, weighing about 1kg and with a dish less than 18cm wide. This is likely to be the most affordable option and offers speeds up to 100Mbps.

• Pro: Bigger and heavier, around 28cm across and 2.4kg in weight. It provides download speeds up to 400Mbps.

Signing up is easy, just click here to get started.

Amazon is also working with Vanu, a company based in the US, to build cellular towers in remote parts of Southern Africa. For now, there’s no clear plan announced for coverage in West Africa, but Nigeria’s inclusion in the waitlist is a good sign.

Here’s what you should know about Amazon Leo: it used to be called Project Kuiper. Last year, it launched its first batch of satellites, 27 of them, into low Earth orbit (LEO) on a rocket mission called KA-01. So far, Amazon has 153 of these satellites up in space and wants to grow that to over 1,600 by July 2026. In comparison, Starlink has already launched around 10,000 satellites, so Leo is playing catch-up but aiming to stand out with its speedy service.

Amazon has been working on this project for over a decade as part of its goal to bring fast and reliable internet worldwide, especially to areas that haven’t had great service before. Their plan is to launch more than 3,200 LEO satellites in total to build a global broadband network.

The first phase will see 578 satellites orbiting roughly 630 kilometers above Earth’s surface, which is a bit higher than where Starlink’s satellites fly. To support the network, Amazon is setting up 12 ground stations that will connect the satellite signals back to the internet.

Starlink got an early advantage with its reusable Falcon 9 rockets and licenses for thousands of satellites, but Amazon is relying on its tech resources and worldwide reach to make a mark. It has already locked in 80 launch missions with various rocket providers, including ULA, Arianespace, and Jeff Bezos’ own Blue Origin.

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Experts expect that setting up the full system will take at least another year or so, with the earliest possible global launch happening in late 2026 or early 2027.

If you’re interested in faster satellite internet and live in one of the countries Amazon Leo is opening the waitlist for, including Nigeria, now’s the time to sign up and secure your spot. This new option could really shake up the satellite internet game, giving Starlink some serious competition. 

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