REGULATORY · COMPETITIVE · AFRICA
Namibia rejects Starlink licence application
Change
Namibia's communications regulator refused to grant Starlink a licence to provide satellite internet services in the country.
Why it matters
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia refused Starlink's licence application. The regulator noted Starlink's Namibian subsidiary lacked the required local ownership stake. Namibian law requires at least 51% of shares in any telecommunications company to be owned by citizens or local entities. The regulator previously ordered Starlink to cease operations and advised the public that purchasing terminals or subscribing to its services would be illegal; it said it could reconsider the licence decision on its own motion or if an aggrieved party files a petition within 90 days.
Implications
- · Starlink is prevented from legally offering paid satellite internet services in Namibia, halting market access and customer subscriptions.
- · Distribution or purchase of Starlink terminal equipment is effectively prohibited under the regulator's advisory and cease-and-desist order.
- · Obtaining market access would require a corporate ownership restructure to meet the 51% local-ownership statutory requirement.
- · Existing commercial plans and revenue prospects for Starlink in Namibia are suspended until ownership or the regulator's position changes.
Who is affected
- · Investors
- · Importers
What to watch
- · 90-day reconsideration window for the regulator to reopen the licence decision or for an aggrieved party to file a petition
Source
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