Starlink gets go ahead in Nigeria and Mozambique, tweets Musk

Satellite broadband provider Starlink has been given regulatory approval in Nigeria and Mozambique, according to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

The billionaire announced the news via Twitter, his favored communications channel and one that he is in talks to buy, just hours after announcing the low-Earth orbit (LEO) network's entry into its first Southeast Asian country, the Philippines.

This means Starlink "is now licensed on all seven continents," according to parent SpaceX's Twitter account.

Filling the gap

In Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission licensed Starlink as an Internet service provider (ISP) for ten years, following a year of work by the operator to secure approval.

According to the NCC, around 25 million Nigerians lack basic telephony services, never mind an Internet connection – so satellite broadband has the potential to bring connectivity to rural and hard-to-reach areas without the need for costly infrastructure.

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The entry of Starlink to the country could help the Nigerian government's National Broadband Plan 2020 to 2025, which aims to reach 70% broadband penetration, covering 90% of the population by 2025.

Meanwhile, Mozambique's telecoms regulator, INCM, has cleared a license for Starlink. Services are expected to start on the continent in 2023.

Starlink already has a constellation of around 2,400 satellites deployed (expected to hit 4,200 by 2023) and provides Internet access to 32 countries, with 69,000 active users in the US alone.

*Top image is of a SpaceX Starlink satellite launch. (Source: Official SpaceX Photos on Flickr CC2.0)

— Fiona Graham, Editorial Director, Light Reading