Starlink Launches in Senegal, its 26th African Market

Starlink has launched its satellite internet service in Senegal, marking the company’s 26th market in Africa and its first entry on the continent in 2026. The Elon Musk-owned SpaceX subsidiary made the announcement early Wednesday via a post on X, formerly Twitter. “Starlink’s high-speed, low-latency internet is now available in Senegal!” the post declared.

This launch follows Starlink’s debut in Nigeria back in January 2023, after it got regulatory approval in 2022. Today, Starlink operates in nearly half of Africa’s 54 countries. In 2025 alone, it expanded to eight more nations: Chad, Somalia, Lesotho, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, and Niger. With Senegal now on board, the company eyes further growth in places like Namibia, Cameroon, and South Africa.

For Senegal, a West African nation of over 18 million people, Starlink arrives as a fresh option amid frequent internet outages from local telecom providers. It uses a network of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites to deliver fast, reliable connections, especially to hard-to-reach rural spots. Official government data from June 2025 shows more than 24 million internet subscriptions in the country. But this number likely counts multiple SIM cards and data lines per person. DataReportal puts real internet use at 60.6% by the end of 2025.

Starlink steps into a busy telecom market led by mobile giants. Orange, through its local arm Sonatel, holds 63.42% of the share as of June 2025. Free (Yas) comes second at 22.8%, Expresso third at 9.43%, and Promobile last at 5.07%. These firms rely on ground-based towers, which struggle in remote areas. A government study from September 2025 revealed big gaps: 24% of localities had zero network coverage, hitting about 18,858 residents. Another 37% faced regular signal drops. Just 52% of areas had 4G, with some stuck on slow 2G.

Starlink’s LEO tech promises an edge by beaming the internet from space, bypassing terrain challenges. It could bridge these gaps for homes, schools, and businesses far from cities. But it faces rivals even in satellite services. In December 2024, Orange teamed up with Eutelsat/Konnect to roll out satellite internet covering nearly 99% of Senegal.

Pricing will test Starlink’s appeal here. Monthly plans cost around $40 (CFA22,000) or $54 (CFA30,000), per Ecofin Agency reports. Users must buy hardware first: a basic kit at $212 (CFA117,000) or a premium one at $263 (CFA146,000). In return, subscribers get download speeds up to 305 Mbps and uploads up to 40 Mbps, far quicker than many local options.

Affordability remains a hurdle. World Bank data shows Senegal’s 2024 GDP per capita at $1,773.2, or about $4.85 a day. For many families, the upfront hardware cost equals months of income. Still, Starlink’s reach could transform lives in underserved villages, boosting education, farming, and small businesses online.

This move highlights Africa’s growing hunger for better internet. As telecoms invest in satellites, competition should drive down prices and expand access. Senegal’s launch sets the stage for Starlink to claim a slice of the market, proving space tech can connect the unconnected.

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