Starlink secures Uganda license for satellite internet rollout 

Uganda has issued a license to Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by SpaceX, clearing the way for the company to begin offering broadband services in the East African country. 

President Yoweri Museveni said in a post on X on Friday that he presided over the signing of an operational licensing agreement between the Uganda Communications Commission and Starlink. He described the agreement as a step toward the start of commercial service in Uganda. 

The communications regulator oversees licensing and compliance in the country’s telecom sector. 

Museveni said Starlink had agreed to follow national laws and regulatory requirements as it prepares to launch services. He did not provide a specific launch date.

Push into a crowded telecom market 

Ugandan consumers have long raised concerns about the cost and reliability of internet services, with critics pointing to limited competition in the market. 

The sector is dominated by regional and international operators, including a subsidiary of South Africa’s MTN Group, alongside India’s Bharti Airtel, which both operate widely across mobile and data services. 

Starlink’s entry is expected to add a new option in a market where fixed broadband penetration remains limited outside major urban areas.

Starlink satellite expands across Africa 

Starlink, a unit of SpaceX, operates a low-Earth orbit satellite network designed to provide internet access in areas with weak or no terrestrial infrastructure. The service supports video calls, streaming and other high-bandwidth applications. 

The company is already active in more than a dozen African markets and is available in over 150 countries and territories worldwide. Recent African rollouts include Senegal, Somalia, Lesotho and Guinea-Bissau. 

However, expansion has not been uniform across the continent. In March, Namibia rejected Starlink’s licence application, highlighting ongoing regulatory differences that continue to shape the company’s rollout strategy in Africa.

Musk, who leads SpaceX and Tesla and is widely regarded as one of the world’s wealthiest individuals at $680 billion, according to Bloomberg Billionaire Index, has said the company will continue to pursue approvals where local regulations allow, with a focus on expanding access to internet service in areas where traditional infrastructure remains limited.