SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service is now available in Somalia, owner Elon Musk announced on Sunday via the social media platform X.
- Starlink satellite internet service is now available in Somalia.
- The introduction of Starlink’s satellite service is expected to expand connectivity to remote and underserved regions in Somalia.
- Starlink faces regulatory hurdles in some countries, including South Africa where it remains unavailable.
SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service is now available in Somalia, owner Elon Musk announced on Sunday via the social media platform X.
This makes Somalia the latest African nation to authorize Starlink’s operations, following recent approvals in Niger last month and Liberia in January.
According to a statement on the regulatory authority’s website, a launch ceremony was held in the capital, Mogadishu, attended by government officials and Starlink representatives.
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“We have been in talks with this company (Starlink) for a period of two and half years. We gave them the licence today,” Mustafa Yasiin, director of communication in the telecommunications ministry said in a video.
“We hope Starlink will increase the quality of the existing internet in Somalia and will make the internet service reach more remote areas,” he added.
Expanding connectivity
Somalia already has access to several undersea internet cables, but the introduction of Starlink’s satellite service is expected to expand connectivity to the country’s more remote and underserved regions.
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Starlink’s growing footprint in Africa reflects a wider push to enhance internet access across the continent, where just 40% of the 1.3 billion population is online, the lowest internet penetration rate in the world.
Despite its progress, Starlink has faced regulatory hurdles in some countries. Notably, it remains unavailable in South Africa, the continent’s most industrialized economy.
In August 2023, South African authorities banned the import of Starlink kits, effectively blocking access to SpaceX’s satellite internet service.
