The rapid expansion of Starlink’s satellite internet services across Africa has sparked calls from local industry experts, local telecommunications companies and local internet service providers (ISPs) for stronger regulatory oversight.
As the demand for high-speed internet access grows across the continent, local industry stakeholders are pushing for policies that safeguard their investments, promote fair competition, and protect jobs.
They argue that the global satellite provider’s operations pose a threat to the local telecommunications and ISP sectors, due to its minimal investment in local and regional infrastructure and employment creation, and due to its lower regulatory obligations.
In Zimbabwe, where telecommunication companies have invested heavily in expanding network connectivity, industry experts argue that Starlink’s satellite services threaten the economy and employment landscape that local operators have built.
“The arrival of Starlink means we’re competing with a company that’s able to sidestep the substantial infrastructure costs that we face,” said Tinashe Ruswa, a Zimbabwean telecommunications analyst.
“Local operators have not only invested in infrastructure but also in people, with thousands employed in these companies, and thousands doing installation, maintenance, and customer service roles that are crucial to our industry and economy.”
Temidayo Oniosun, CEO of Nigeria-based Space in Africa, a media and analytics company focused on the African space and satellite industry, echoed the same concerns in commends carried in regional publication African Business Magazine.
“We have a foreign company coming in, doing the bare minimum, and then taking market share from companies that have invested heavily in the continent and are providing jobs for thousands of people,” Oniosun said, stressing the need for regulators to protect African-owned businesses and jobs.
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Meanwhile, Zambia’s telecommunications sector has raised similar concerns. Charles Mwansa, a network engineer in Lusaka, has warned that without a robust regulatory framework Starlink’s entry could impact the viability of Zambian telecommunication companies.
“Local companies like Zamtel and Airtel Zambia have invested significantly in laying fibre, establishing mobile towers, and training local staff. Allowing a company to offer satellite internet without similar obligations could destabilize the industry,” Mwansa argued.
“Starlink’s low-orbit satellites give them a wide reach, but we need to question what they’re giving back to the local economy.”
Steve Song, an internet access advocate and policy advisor at the Mozilla Foundation, told the African Business Magazine that the approach taken by satellite providers like Starlink is “economically lopsided, extracting value without contributing to local economies.”
He adds that Starlink’s reluctance to invest in ground stations in many African nations exemplifies a “value-extraction model that doesn’t address the structural needs of local economies.”
Song calls for a rethinking of satellite internet regulation, noting “the 1960s saw a time of internationalization in space, a view of it as a shared resource for all. We can still get back there, but not if Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos establish de facto rules simply by occupying that territory”.
In Kenya, Safaricom, the country’s largest mobile network operator, is advocating for tougher regulatory requirements on satellite operators, citing concerns that direct entry by these providers could pose risks to national security and local network quality.
In a formal letter to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), Safaricom stated that satellite services “span multiple territorial borders and in doing so have the potential to illegally provide services and cause harmful interference within the territorial borders of the Republic of Kenya.”
The company recommended that satellite operators work in partnership with local licensees, rather than holding independent operating licenses, to better protect local interests.
Local industry leaders across the region argue that while Starlink brings benefits by extending internet access to remote areas, fair competition requires that satellite providers meet the same regulatory and infrastructure obligations as traditional telecom companies.
“We understand that Starlink can play an important role in boosting connectivity in remote areas,” said Zimbabwean economist James Ndongwe. “But at what cost to local economies? If they don’t contribute to local infrastructure, taxes, or employment, we need to think carefully about the long-term effects on our industry.”
As Starlink continues its rollout across Africa, calls for regulatory reviews are expected to intensify.
Industry experts and stakeholders say the goal is not to halt progress in satellite internet, but to ensure that any gains are fairly shared.
“Digital inclusion should be for everyone,” Mwansa added, “and that means setting up systems where international players contribute as much to our growth as they stand to gain from it.”
