Chad said it had approved Elon Musk’s satellite internet provider, Starlink, to operate in the country. The move is aimed at improving internet access in the central African nation, Reuters reported.
Elon Musk’s Starlink made its African debut in January 2023, launching first in Nigeria with the promise of revolutionizing high-speed internet access in Africa. It recently launched in Botswana, South Sudan and Ghana in the past two months. However, its journey on the continent has faced considerable challenges, including regulatory hurdles in multiple African nations.
“We have been talking to Starlink since 2021 and we have managed to agree on the essentials,” Chad’s Communications Minister Boukar Michel told Reuters by telephone.
According to the latest figures from the World Bank, only 12% of Chad’s population had access to the internet in 2022.
“A large part of our territory is not covered by fibre optics, and I believe that Starlink will help us bridge this gap,” Michel added that improved internet access will help Chad digitalize public services in remote areas and foster the growth of tech start-ups.
“Starlink now available in Chad!” Musk posted on X on Monday. The internet provider operates in several African countries, including Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Mozambique, Malawi, Madagascar, Benin, South Sudan, Eswatini, and Sierra Leone.
However, earlier this year, Cameroon ordered the seizure of Starlink equipment at ports due to its lack of a license.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s largest telecom firm, Safaricom, has urged regulators to consider requiring satellite internet providers like Starlink to partner with local mobile network operators.
