Africa looks to greater connections with Musk

Burundi becomes the fifteenth African country to receive satellite-based internet service via SpaceX’s Starlink constellation

Elon Musk has been meeting African leaders on the fringes of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York. The South African born, US billionaire is keen to add more countries on the continent to its Starlink satellite-based, internet service.

The service is provided by Musk’s company SpaceX, which has a constellation of low Earth orbit satellite (LEOs) designed to provide affordable, high-speed internet to underserved and remote regions worldwide.

This week Burundi became the fifteenth African country to have access to Starlink service. The country has a large rural population and limited internet connectivity, It is expected that the satellite internet service will have a profound impact on government services, education, healthcare, financial inclusion and all kinds of commercial activity.

Zimbabwe also started to receive the service earlier this month, joining Benin, Botswana, Eswatini, Ghana, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Kenya, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

By the end of 2024, SpaceX is scheduled to start serving more African territories. This week Musk met its Prime Minister Sam Matekane, throwing “Basotho into a frenzy,” according to local media, in anticipation of Starlink’s launch in the country.

Lesotho is the largest sovereign enclave in the world. Located within South Africa, it is landlocked and covers an area of more than 30,000 km² (about 11,600 square miles) with a population of around 2 million.

Prime Minister Matekane posted on X, “Today, I had the pleasure of meeting with Elon Musk, to discuss advancing connectivity in Lesotho. We are committed to exploring innovative solutions to improving internet access and bridging the digital divide for our people. Exciting developments lie ahead”.

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa also held talks with Musk, apparently to explore opportunities to invest in the country according to Ramaphosa’s office on X.