By 
NuRAN Wireless Inc. (NUR) is testing Starlink’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite service as a potential high-capacity backhaul solution for rural telecommunications infrastructure in Nigeria, in a pilot that could shape how the company expands connectivity across its African markets.
RELATED: Airtel Africa, Starlink launch first commercial satellite-to-phone service in Africa
The pilot is being conducted at a rural NuRAN site in Nigeria by telecoms infrastructure service provider Infratel, a long-standing NuRAN partner.
NuRAN said the initiative will assess whether licensed Starlink LEO connectivity, obtained through third-party service providers, can deliver the performance, reliability and cost efficiency required to support commercial rural network operations.
Importantly, NuRAN clarified that it has no direct contractual or commercial relationship with Starlink or SpaceX and is participating in the pilot through the relevant third-party service-provider arrangements.
Starlink Tested as Rural Backhaul Alternative
The pilot will integrate NuRAN’s rural connectivity solution with Starlink’s LEO satellite connectivity to determine whether satellite backhaul can provide additional capacity to remote sites where terrestrial infrastructure may be difficult or costly to deploy.
Backhaul is a critical component of mobile networks, connecting individual rural sites to the wider telecommunications network. In areas where fibre, microwave or other terrestrial options are constrained, satellite connectivity can provide an alternative route for carrying network traffic.
NuRAN said the Nigerian pilot is designed to test LEO backhaul under commercial-scale conditions rather than simply demonstrate satellite connectivity.
The company plans to examine performance, reliability, integration requirements and cost efficiency as it evaluates the technology.
Pilot Could Accelerate 4G Rural Migration
One of the immediate objectives is to determine whether LEO satellite backhaul can help NuRAN accelerate the migration of rural sites to 4G while providing greater network capacity.
The company is also examining how higher-capacity backhaul could expand the potential uses of its rural infrastructure.
Beyond conventional mobile connectivity, NuRAN said the pilot could support emerging infrastructure initiatives involving edge artificial intelligence (AI), local computing and its NuEnergy programme.
This points to a broader evolution in the role of rural telecom sites—from basic mobile coverage points into infrastructure platforms capable of supporting additional digital services.
From Connectivity Sites to Digital Infrastructure Platforms
NuRAN’s strategy increasingly centres on extracting greater utility from its rural infrastructure portfolio.
The company said higher-capacity backhaul could potentially create new revenue opportunities at selected rural sites by enabling services beyond traditional telecommunications connectivity.
Edge AI and local compute, for example, could allow certain data-processing workloads to be handled closer to where data is generated, while NuEnergy-related initiatives could introduce additional infrastructure and energy services.
The Nigerian pilot is therefore being viewed not only as a connectivity test but also as an assessment of whether satellite backhaul can increase the long-term commercial value of rural sites.
NuRAN Eyes Replication Across Africa
If the pilot achieves the expected results, NuRAN said it could provide a repeatable model for deployment across parts of its African footprint.
The company currently has more than 5,000 sites under contract, creating a potentially significant platform for expanding the use of higher-capacity backhaul where regulatory and commercial conditions permit.
NuRAN identified the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire as markets where the model could potentially be considered because Starlink is legally available through licensed partners.
The company expanded its operations into Côte d’Ivoire in June.
NuRAN has also deployed rural connectivity solutions in Cameroon, although the company noted that Starlink was still undergoing the licensing process there.
Terrestrial Backhaul Remains Important
Despite the Starlink pilot, NuRAN said it does not intend to abandon terrestrial backhaul technologies.
The company will continue to prioritise options such as microwave and TV white space where those technologies are feasible and commercially appropriate.
The Starlink pilot is instead intended to broaden the range of backhaul options available to NuRAN as it develops rural connectivity projects across Africa.
This hybrid approach could allow operators and infrastructure providers to select backhaul technologies according to geography, network capacity requirements, economics and regulatory conditions.
NuRAN: LEO Could Expand Growth Opportunities
NuRAN Wireless Director and CEO Francis Létourneau said the company sees satellite connectivity as an additional tool for increasing the capacity and utility of its rural infrastructure.
“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.
He added that if the Nigerian pilot performs as expected, NuRAN could have a repeatable model for deployment across its African operations.
Nigeria Pilot Tests the Economics of Rural Connectivity
For rural telecommunications providers, the challenge is increasingly shifting from simply establishing coverage to delivering sufficient capacity to support the growing range of digital services expected from connected communities.
The NuRAN-Infratel pilot puts that question directly to the test by examining whether LEO satellite technology can complement existing terrestrial infrastructure and provide a commercially viable backhaul option for remote sites.
The outcome could determine whether satellite backhaul becomes a more prominent component of NuRAN’s rural connectivity strategy, particularly in markets where traditional backhaul infrastructure remains difficult to deploy.
For now, the Nigerian pilot remains an evaluation exercise. NuRAN’s broader deployment plans will depend on the technology’s performance, economics and the availability of compliant service-provider arrangements in individual African markets.
