Starlink Scales Up in Africa with Airtel Deal

Telecom giant Airtel Africa has announced an agreement with SpaceX to roll out Starlink’s high-speed satellite internet services across the continent.

“This partnership with SpaceX is a significant step to demonstrate our continued commitment to advancing Africa’s digital economy through strategic investments and partnerships,” said Airtel Africa’s CEO, Sunil Taldar.

The company has already secured regulatory licenses in 9 of the countries where Airtel Africa operates such as Malawi, Nigeria, ⁠Kenya, Zambia, Rwanda, ⁠Niger, Madagascar, DRC and Chad with applications pending in the remaining five countries. 

Through this partnership, Starlink’s satellite technology will also be integrated into Airtel Africa’s network infrastructure. The aim is to extend internet connectivity to underserved and rural areas, reaching schools, healthcare facilities, and small enterprises.

“Next-generation satellite connectivity will ensure that every individual, business, and community have reliable and affordable voice and data connectivity—even in the most remote parts of Africa,”  Taldar added.

On his part, SpaceX vice-president of Starlink Business Operations, Chad Gibbs, said: “We are very excited to work with Airtel to bring the transformative benefits of Starlink to the African people in new and innovative ways. The team has played a pivotal role in Africa’s telecom story, so working with them to complement our direct offering across Africa makes great sense for our business.”

Starlink is currently available in over 20 African countries. The internet provider delivers high-speed, low-latency internet to users all over the world. As the world’s first and largest satellite constellation operating a low Earth orbit, Starlink provides broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, and video calls.