Using Spotify in an unsupported country (Somalia & Turkmenistan)

[katarighe]

Hi everyone,

As a proud Spotify user for the past 6 years, there is only one issue I'm facing which is using the service from an unsupported country, which I'm currently residing in at the moment. For the last few years, I'm considering to subscribe to Premium, however I decided not to go ahead with it until I wait it becomes available. 

I’m writing to ask about Spotify's availability in countries where it is still not accessible, specifically Somalia and Turkmenistan. My friend who is working in Turkmenistan is also a Spotify user, where its currently unavailable at the moment.

When I visit Spotify.com, I receive the message that Spotify is currently unavailable in my location (see the attachment for reference).

Many African countries got access to Spotify in 2021 and 2022. The last expansion I noticed was in December 2022 when Ethiopia joined the list. However, since then, there have been no updates about new country expansions in 2023 or 2024.

For almost two years, I’ve been waiting for Spotify to launch in Somalia and Turkmenistan. Meanwhile, other music streaming services like YouTube Music, Apple Music, and Deezer are already available here (see the sample music), leaving Spotify behind.

With less than 3 weeks left to 2025 and no news about upcoming expansions, I am starting to wonder:

• Is Spotify still expanding into new countries where it is currently unavailable?
• Has the expansion process slowed down or stopped altogether?

The only way I can access these services temporality is travelling to the country where it is available, which I have done a couple of times this year. I’ve considered using a VPN to access Spotify, but I know this is not a recommended solution. Moreover, I’ve also reached out to Spotify Customer Service before, but they seem to have no specific information about future expansions.

Could someone shed light on this situation? Many potential users in Somalia, Turkmenistan and other unserved regions would love to join the Spotify family! Many of them would like to access the millions of songs and podcasts that they can't get anywhere else.

Thanks in advance for any updates or insights.