Starlink Barred From Operating in Namibia
Last update: March 24, 2026
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Regulator cites lack of required domestic ownership as company faces continued hurdles in southern Africa.
Namibia has turned down an application by Elon Musk owned Starlink for a licence to provide satellite internet services in the country, marking a second setback for the company in southern Africa.
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia announced the decision without providing reasons, but indicated that Starlink’s local subsidiary did not meet ownership requirements.
Starlink operates in about 25 African countries but has encountered regulatory obstacles in others, including South Africa, where similar ownership regulations have prevented its entry.
Namibian law requires that at least 51 percent of shares in any telecommunications company be owned by citizens or locally based entities.
Namibia, a former German colony that was later under South Africa’s white minority rule until gaining independence in 1990, has since implemented policies aimed at increasing local ownership and addressing historical inequalities.
According to Starlink’s website, the company has set up a local entity intended to partner with Namibian firms and create job opportunities.
The regulator said it could revisit its decision either on its own initiative or following a petition from an affected party within 90 days.
In 2024, the authority issued an order accusing Starlink of operating without a licence and instructed it to stop all activities in Namibia. It also warned the public against purchasing Starlink equipment or subscribing to its services, stating that doing so would be illegal.
Musk, who was born in South Africa in 1971 before relocating to Canada and later the United States, has previously described South Africa’s ownership laws as a barrier to his company’s operations. He has argued that such regulations have limited Starlink’s ability to enter the market.
In response, the South African government has maintained that Starlink is welcome to operate in the country as long as it complies with local laws, noting that many foreign companies, including major US firms, are already operating successfully under the same regulatory framework.
Black economic empowerment policies, introduced after the end of apartheid in 1994, were designed to address past racial inequalities and include requirements for foreign investors to allocate a portion of ownership to local black partners.
