KAMPALA, May 16 – Uganda has granted an operating license to Starlink, the satellite internet company owned by Elon Musk, marking the firm’s latest expansion across Africa.
President Yoweri Museveni announced on Friday that the agreement was signed between the Uganda Communications Commission and Starlink, clearing the way for the company to begin operations in the East African country.
Museveni said the licensing agreement represented “an important step towards the commencement of their operations in Uganda.”
“I am pleased that Starlink has agreed to comply with Uganda’s laws and regulatory requirements as it prepares to begin service delivery in the country,” Museveni said in a post on X.
Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX, has rapidly expanded its presence across Africa in recent years and now operates in more than a dozen countries on the continent, including Somalia.
The company’s entry into Uganda could intensify competition in a market where consumers have long complained about expensive and unreliable internet services.
Uganda’s data market is currently dominated by a subsidiary of MTN Group, alongside operations from a unit of Bharti Airtel.
Starlink’s low-earth orbit satellite network is designed to provide high-speed internet access in underserved and remote areas, positioning the company as a major player in Africa’s digital connectivity push.
The approval also reflects a broader trend across African governments seeking to expand broadband access and improve digital infrastructure as internet demand continues to rise across the continent.
