Congo reverses previous ban and grants Starlink a license

Elon Musk’s Starlink, a tech mogul, was granted a license by the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Friday, making it the latest African nation to do so. The firm is expected to start operations shortly.

The satellite internet provider, which is a division of SpaceX, is rapidly growing its services throughout the continent and is available in over a dozen nations. In April, Somalia and Lesotho issued licenses to it.

According to the International Telecommunication Union, only about 30% of people in the war-torn Congo would have internet access as of 2023.

Prior to this, the government had opposed granting access to Starlink, citing concerns from military officials that it would be exploited by rebel organizations, such as the Rwandan-backed M23, which this year has taken more territory than ever before in the country’s east.

The Congolese Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority declared in March 2024 that Starlink use was prohibited and that anybody who violated the rule would be subject to penalties.

The business was granted a license, according to the same organization’s announcement on Friday, and “will proceed with the launch of its services in the coming days.”

A request for comment was not immediately answered by an authority official.

Additionally, Starlink is attempting to make a name for itself in Uganda, a neighbor. Yoweri Museveni, the president of Uganda, reported on Tuesday that his meeting with Starlink personnel was fruitful.