Trillionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink enters its 27th African market in expansion push
Elon Musk's Starlink is adding another African country to its rapidly growing footprint. The satellite internet provider has secured the licences required to begin operations in Côte d'Ivoire.
Black News 
Elon Musk's Starlink is adding another African country to its rapidly growing footprint. The satellite internet provider has secured the licences required to begin operations in Côte d'Ivoire.
- Starlink has secured licenses to launch satellite internet services in Côte d'Ivoire by July 2026, marking its 27th African market.
- The service aims to bridge Africa's connectivity gap, especially in rural and underserved areas, by bypassing traditional telecom infrastructure.
- Starlink faces competition from established operators like Orange and MTN, which already provide hybrid satellite connectivity solutions using Eutelsat.
- The expansion follows Starlink's recent launches in Uganda and several other African countries, demonstrating rapid growth across the continent.
Elon Musk's Starlink is adding another African country to its rapidly growing footprint. The satellite internet provider has secured the licences required to begin operations in Côte d'Ivoire, where it is expected to launch services in July 2026, according to the country's Minister of Digital Transition and Technological Innovation, Djibril Ouattara.
The approval makes Côte d'Ivoire Starlink's 27th African market, further cementing the company's aggressive expansion across the continent.
The move stresses Starlink's growing ambition to bridge Africa's connectivity gap through its constellation of low-Earth-orbit satellites. Unlike traditional telecom infrastructure, which often struggles to reach remote communities due to the high cost of fibre and tower deployment, Starlink's satellite-based network can deliver broadband connectivity directly to underserved areas.
For Côte d'Ivoire, the arrival of Starlink could provide a significant boost to internet access in rural communities, schools, healthcare facilities, and other regions that remain beyond the reach of conventional telecommunications infrastructure.
But Starlink is entering a market that is far from empty. Major operators such as Orange and MTN have already partnered with satellite provider Eutelsat to offer hybrid connectivity solutions designed to extend coverage into hard-to-reach areas. Their presence means Starlink will compete not only with traditional mobile operators but also with established satellite-backed services that have already begun targeting the same connectivity gaps.
Africa expansion gathers pace
The Côte d'Ivoire launch comes just weeks after Uganda granted Starlink an operating licence following months of regulatory uncertainty. The approval opened another East African market to the company and continued a rollout that has gathered pace across the continent.
In recent years, Starlink has launched services in countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique, steadily expanding its presence as governments seek new solutions to improve broadband penetration.
The company's satellite technology has also demonstrated value beyond commercial internet access. Earlier this year, Starlink deployed satellite kits to support connectivity efforts in hard-to-reach communities, highlighting the role satellite internet can play during emergencies and infrastructure disruptions.
Yet Musk is not the only one eyeing Africa's growing connectivity market. Jeff Bezos is preparing his own challenge through Amazon's Project Kuiper. The company is reportedly seeking regulatory approval to establish its first African satellite gateway in Kenya, a move that could intensify competition in a market increasingly viewed as one of the world's biggest opportunities for satellite broadband.
