Chad said on Tuesday that it has authorised the licensing of Elon Musk’s satellite internet operator, Starlink, to improve internet connectivity in Central African countries.
Boukar Michel, Chad’s Communications Minister, told Reuters via phone.
Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite arm, operates in numerous African countries but has encountered legislative hurdles in others, as well as opposition from state telecom monopolies.
Elon Musk confirmed the expansion on Monday, writing “Starlink now available in Chad!” on X (previously Twitter).
“A large part of our territory is not covered by fibre optics, and I believe that Starlink will help us bridge this gap,” Michel said, adding that improved internet connection will enable Chad to digitalise public services in distant places and accelerate the development of tech start-ups.
Elon Musk’s Starlink made its African premiere in January 2023, initially in Nigeria and promising to revolutionise high-speed internet access in Africa.
Starlink is already present in various African countries, including Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Mozambique, and Malawi.
However, its trip throughout the continent has been fraught with difficulties, including regulatory obstacles in a number of African countries.
According to the most recent World Bank data, only 12% of Chad’s population has an internet connection in 2022.
We earlier reported that Three weeks after Nigeria’s communication regulator blocked the rise, SpaceX-owned satellite internet provider Starlink has retracted its proposal to raise its base subscription rates in the country.
This decision comes as a pleasant relief to Nigerians who have been waiting for affordable internet solutions.
(News.ng)
