Starlink Secures Signal: Congo Grants License to Musk’s Satellite Internet Firm
The Democratic Republic of Congo has granted a license to Starlink, the satellite internet provider owned by Elon Musk, to operate in the country, according to a statement issued Friday by the nation’s telecommunications regulatory authority. The agency confirmed that Starlink is expected to begin operations “within the coming days,” Reuters reported.
A unit of SpaceX, Starlink has been rapidly expanding across Africa and is now operational in over a dozen countries on the continent. In April 2024, Somalia and Lesotho also granted operating licenses to the company.
Despite this expansion, internet penetration in conflict-ridden Congo remains notably low. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), only 30 percent of the population had internet access in 2023.
Previously, the Congolese government had declined to authorize Starlink, with military officials expressing concerns that rebel groups—particularly the M23 movement allegedly backed by Rwanda—could exploit the service to pose national security threats.
In March 2024, the Congolese Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority even issued a ban on Starlink’s operations and threatened punitive measures against violators.
However, in a reversal of its earlier stance, the same regulatory body announced on Friday that Starlink had now been formally licensed to operate in the country.
An official from the authority declined to provide additional comment when approached by Reuters.
