Cameroon Edges Closer to Official Starlink Launch as Satellite Internet Sweeps Africa
Cameroon is advancing toward officially authorising Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet service operated by SpaceX, another milestone in the company’s aggressive expansion across Africa. The Telecommunications Regulatory Board (ART) has submitted a draft concession agreement and technical specifications to the relevant supervisory authority for Starlink Cameroun SARL, according to Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Minette Libom Li Likeng.
The development, disclosed during the 2025 budget review presented to the National Assembly’s Budget and Finance Committee, is a significant step forward after years of regulatory uncertainty. According to Minister Li Likeng, submitting the draft agreement initiates the official process for granting a concession that would allow Starlink to serve end users directly in Cameroon.
Renewed Negotiations After Service Disruption
The regulatory progress follows renewed negotiations between the Cameroonian government and Starlink representatives. A Starlink delegation met with the minister on June 27, 2025, to formally establish operations, moving beyond the informal access that had previously characterised the service in the country.
These discussions gained urgency after Starlink suspended services in Cameroon in April 2024, when the company restricted global roaming in response to its two-month limit on users outside approved countries. Before the suspension, many Cameroonians had accessed Starlink through indirect registrations in neighbouring countries where the service was licensed, a workaround that authorities repeatedly warned against.
In response to unauthorised use, on April 15, 2024, the Director General of Customs instructed border services to seize any equipment lacking regulatory approval. The crackdown highlighted the government’s determination to regulate satellite internet services within established legal frameworks.
Regional Momentum Builds for Satellite Internet
Cameroon’s progress aligns with broader regional activity around Starlink’s expansion. Since February 2025, French telecommunications giant Orange has partnered with SpaceX to support Starlink’s expansion across Africa, making markets such as Cameroon prime candidates for formal entry.
The regulatory standardisation efforts in Cameroon reflect a continent-wide trend. Starlink launched in eight African countries by the end of 2023 and doubled its footprint in 2024. The momentum continued into 2025, with additional launches in the first seven months of the year in Liberia, Niger, Somalia, Guinea-Bissau, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, and Chad.
As of December 2025, Starlink operates in over 25 African countries, the latest being São Tomé and Príncipe, with several more in advanced stages of regulatory approval.
Namibia Nearing Approval After Regulatory Standoff
Namibia is another significant pending market for Starlink in southern Africa. The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia published Starlink’s license applications in the government’s Official Gazette No. 8795 on November 28 and invited public comments for two weeks. Namibia’s regulations present a unique challenge: the current telecommunications law requires companies to maintain at least 51% local ownership. However, the communications regulator is considering amendments that would allow foreign satellite providers to operate without ceding majority control.
With this, Starlink is seeking a national telecommunications license to offer high-speed internet through its low-Earth orbit satellites, which would connect households and businesses nationwide and support existing mobile operators by adding capacity in remote areas.
The licensing review follows a turbulent period. Earlier in the year, the regulator issued a cease-and-desist order after determining the company had started providing service without a telecom license, even though an application was pending.
CRAN Director General Emilia Nghikembua has emphasised the need for satellite services in a country where geography creates connectivity gaps. She noted that some farming regions span more than a million hectares, making traditional terrestrial networks impractical to deploy.
South Africa’s Persistent Challenge
While Starlink has expanded throughout the region, South Africa, Africa’s most developed economy and Elon Musk’s birthplace, has remained conspicuously absent from the service map. The primary obstacle has been the country’s Black Economic Empowerment requirements, which mandate 30% ownership by historically disadvantaged groups for telecommunications operators.
However, recent developments suggest progress. South Africa’s communications minister ordered a policy change that allows Elon Musk’s Starlink and other foreign-owned satellite internet providers to operate without selling 30% of their local equity to Black or other non-white owners. The new policy, published in a government gazette, allows foreign companies to invest in “equity equivalent” programmes, such as skills training or support for previously disadvantaged groups, instead of direct equity transfers.
Communications Minister Solly Malatsi emphasised that Starlink could help South Africa accelerate high-speed internet access for rural and underserved communities. In October 2025, it was reported that Starlink would set up a BEE-compliant local business unit once regulations are amended. The company has committed to spending at least ZAR 500 million (approximately USD 29 million) to provide free high-speed internet to 5,000 schools and investing ZAR 2 billion (USD 113 million) in local infrastructure.
Morocco Prepares for North African Entry
North Africa represents relatively uncharted territory for Starlink compared to sub-Saharan markets. Morocco’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency is preparing to grant licenses to SpaceX’s Starlink and OneWeb, allowing them to offer satellite internet services beginning in 2025. This may extend into 2026, as very little has been disclosed regarding the status of the licensing.
Morocco would become among the first North African countries to activate Starlink’s LEO satellite network, potentially setting a precedent for neighbouring nations. The dual licensing of Starlink and OneWeb aims to introduce competitive satellite broadband options, supporting Morocco’s “Digital Morocco 2030” strategy designed to improve the country’s digital infrastructure.
Infrastructure Partnerships Extend Reach
Beyond direct consumer services, Starlink is developing infrastructure partnerships to maximise its impact across Africa. In July 2023, Starlink signed an agreement with Africa Mobile Networks (AMN), a UK-based firm that builds mobile base stations in remote communities. AMN operates more than 1,500 base stations across Nigeria and uses Starlink terminals to provide data connectivity where fibre backhaul isn’t available
Similar partnerships are emerging across the continent. In October 2025, Starlink and Cisco partnered with Rwanda to enhance connectivity and digital skills. Last month, Vodacom agreed to offer Starlink’s high-speed service to businesses throughout Africa.
Looking Ahead
For Cameroon, the submission of concession documents now places the final decision in the hands of technical supervisory authorities, potentially opening the door to an official launch within months. As regulatory frameworks continue evolving across Africa, the pattern is clear: initial resistance is giving way to pragmatic accommodation. Countries that once banned or severely restricted Starlink are now competing to attract the service, recognising that digital inclusion has become essential for economic development.
Whether through direct licensing, local partnerships, or regulatory flexibility on ownership requirements, African governments are finding models to welcome satellite internet. For millions of people in areas where traditional broadband remains unavailable or unreliable, these regulatory shifts could prove transformative, turning internet access from aspiration into reality.
The question is no longer whether Starlink will expand across Africa, but how quickly regulators can adapt their frameworks to accommodate a technology that doesn’t respect traditional geographic boundaries. Cameroon’s progress suggests that even countries with initial reservations are finding ways to say yes.