The Democratic Republic of Congo announced on Friday that it has joined the growing number of African nations granting a license to tech billionaire Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture, Starlink, paving the way for the company to commence operations in the country imminently.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority confirmed that Starlink, a subsidiary of the United States-based SpaceX, has been officially authorized and “will proceed to launch its services within the coming days.”
Notwithstanding this approval, the Congolese government had previously resisted permitting access to Starlink’s services. In March 2024, the same regulatory body declared the use of Starlink illegal, issuing warnings of sanctions for those who violated the order. Military officials had expressed apprehensions that the technology could be exploited by insurgent factions, notably the Rwandan-backed M23 group, which has seized unprecedented amounts of territory in the eastern region of the country throughout the current year.
As of 2023, the war-torn nation grappled with limited internet connectivity, with only approximately 30% of its population having online access, as reported by the International Telecommunication Union.
Starlink, which has rapidly expanded its service footprint across Africa, received operational licenses from Somalia and Lesotho in April. The company maintains active operations in over a dozen countries on the continent.
In related news, Yoweri Museveni, the President of neighboring Uganda, stated on Tuesday, “I held a productive meeting with representatives from Starlink.”
