Elon Musk's Starlink to Work with Airtel for Internet Service in Africa

Airtel Africa reached an agreement with SpaceX to extend the availability of the satellite Starlink internet service in Africa.

Elon Musk’s Starlink, has obtained licenses to operate in nearly two dozen African countries since its debut in Nigeria two years ago.

In many places, it has become a strong alternative to services from telecom providers, bringing competition to seasoned telcos on the continent, despite its higher equipment costs and monthly subscriptions.

“Next-generation satellite connectivity will ensure that every individual, business, and community has reliable and affordable voice and data connectivity—even in the most remote parts of Africa,” said Sunil Taldar, Managing Director and CEO of Airtel Africa.

Airtel operates in 14 African countries, with Starlink available in nine, including Kenya.

Also Read: Starlink Becomes Nigeria’s Second-Largest Internet Service Provider

Safaricom is the leading telco service provider in Kenya, with a subscription base of over 50.01 million, with 39.75 million active customers, as of June 2024. ‘

This translates to a 65.4% market share in Kenya.

In 2024, Safaricom requested the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) to cuff Starlink’s independent operations citing that the satellite internet service endangered sectoral security.

Although the government dismissed the concerns and hailed Starlink as a competitive entrant, the satellite service had considered a partnership with Safaricom.

It is unlikely that the negotiations were fruitful as the satellite internet provider will now partner with Safaricom’s telco competitor, Airtel Kenya, in scaling up its uptake countrywide.

“We are very excited to work with Airtel to bring the transformative benefits of Starlink to the African people in new and innovative ways.

Working with a telecom leader like Airtel allows us to complement our direct offering and expand our impact on the continent,” said Chad Gibbs, Vice President of Starlink Business Operations at SpaceX.

The agreement between both Starlink and Airtel is described as a “strategic investment and partnership” that will enhance the latter’s “next-generation satellite connectivity offerings.”

It mirrors a move by both parties in March to allow Starlink to use Airtel’s stores to distribute its kits in India, with Airtel potentially offering Starlink services to its customers.