Starlink and Airtel Africa partner to transform African connectivity

Airtel Africa has announced a new partnership with SpaceX to enhance next-generation satellite connectivity across the African continent

This collaboration is set to improve high-speed connectivity for businesses, enterprises, and underserved socio-economic communities. As part of the agreement, SpaceX has successfully acquired the necessary licenses in several African nations, including Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda, Niger, Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Chad. Licensing processes are also in progress in five additional countries within Airtel Africa's footprint.

Airtel Africa’s CEO, Sunil Taldar, expressed the company's commitment to the partnership, stating, “We remain deeply committed to our vision to enrich the lives of people of Africa. 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 and currently underserved parts of Africa.”

SpaceX's vice-president of Starlink business operations, Chad Gibbs, shared, “We’re very excited to work with Airtel Africa to bring the transformative benefits of Starlink to the African people in new and innovative ways. Starlink is available in more than 20 African markets, and this agreement with Airtel highlights how, once licensed, Starlink welcomes the opportunity to join forces with important industry leaders to ensure as many people as possible can benefit from Starlink’s presence. The team at Airtel Africa 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.”

This partnership marks a significant step in expanding satellite connectivity across the continent, aiming to bridge the digital divide and provide reliable communication services to underserved areas.