Internet Coverage in Africa: Is the expansion of Low Earth Orbit satellites gaining momentum?
- occamobservatory
- 12 minuti fa
- Tempo di lettura: 3 min
By Tea Furlan
At the beginning of this year, the Internet Society’s 2025 Internet Development Conference was held in Addis Ababa. On that occasion, new data related to the positive trend that Africa is undertaking in strengthening its digital infrastructure were released.
As an analysis by this non-profit organisation shows, Internet resilience in Africa is gaining momentum due to growing collaboration between governments, technology providers and local communities and increased progress in different areas. These are increased investments in infrastructure, expansion of mobile networks, security and market readiness. Specifically, the rate of internet penetration of the continent as of June 2022 stood at 43%, compared to a global average of 68%, and the regions that comprehensively showed the most significant improvements were Western and Middle Africa. Likewise, some countries demonstrated significant advancements: Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Comoros, Madagascar, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Tanzania. As a matter of fact, the number of internet users in Africa has been growing rapidly, and some projections even suggest the achievement of over 1.1 billion users by 2029.
The Internet Development Conference focused on strengthening internet infrastructure and advancing regulatory frameworks, and one of the ways to expand internet coverage in the African continent is also through the conclusion of agreements with companies like Starlink®. The company is a satellite Internet Services Company owned by SpaceX®, the business founded by Elon Musk. Starlink has just signed an agreement with the French telecom business Orange® in order to facilitate its penetration into the African market. As the leading provider of Satellite Internet of Low Earth Orbit, Starlink sealed an agreement with Orange, since the French company could help it develop its services on the continent. The rationale behind the decision undertaken by Musk lay in the intention to exploit the telecommunications infrastructure, already present on the ground, of the French company Orange. This allowed to overcome some regulatory obstacles encountered by Starlink, empowering it to offer Satellite Internet Coverage to countries that previously did not have that kind of coverage. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites can bring real-time, reliable, cost-effective internet access to remote areas around the world. Since they offer potential solutions for connecting underserved areas, they may also represent a new source of competition for existing mobile network operators. Starlink offers a speed advantage over fixed terrestrial alternatives and it embodies a way to reduce the connectivity gap between rural and urban areas.
Differently from traditional options for internet connectivity, which require terrestrial connections and cell towers, LEO satellites offer the best option for hostile and remote areas that can’t make use of such traditional or cell-based infrastructures that often require specialised equipment and expertise. These technologies are even able to provide life-changing benefits to communities that have difficulty accessing internet connections, they provide educational material and online teaching platforms, access to telemedicine services, the possibility to reach out for help in case of emergency and the ability to send or receive money online.
The deployment of such satellites in Africa is still facing regulatory and cost challenges, due to concerns over sovereignty, security, competition and licensing that have created some opposition from several African governments. Fears of losing control over national communication infrastructure, the possibility of monopolistic behaviours by powerful companies and the difficulties associated with cross-border data protection and regulatory compliance are some of the main concerns brought forth.
However, the expansion of companies like Starlink in Africa is being driven by the demand for reliable high-speed internet and the focus on expanding into underserved markets. The pace at which the sector is growing may revolutionize global connectivity, however, it is necessary to adopt a forward-looking and strategic approach to overcome the regulatory and cost obstacles posed by LEO satellites and make use of them to address the connectivity challenges that have been ongoing for a while.
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