Elon Musk Kicked Out of Africa Again, Starlink Officially Banned from Operating
The ambitions of the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, to expand his satellite internet service Starlink have once again hit a solid wall in southern Africa. Namibia has officially announced the rejection of an operating permit for Starlink within its sovereign territory, marking the second defeat for the company in the region.
Namibia’s Communications Regulatory Authority (CRAN) stated that Starlink had applied for a licence through its local unit, Starlink Internet Services Namibia (Pty) Limited. However, in its official announcement via the government gazette on Monday (23/03/2026), the authority decided not to grant permission to the high-speed internet provider based on low-Earth orbit.
Regarding the decision, the regulator did not provide in-depth public explanations for the reasons behind the rejection. CRAN only stated that the full reasons for the decision could be requested directly from the authority by interested parties.
Although it has not yet issued an official response when asked for comment by AFP, CRAN’s written statement provides a slight hint regarding the basis for the rejection. In its explanation, the regulator noted that Starlink’s local subsidiary has no ownership by local citizens whatsoever.
Starlink, based in the United States, attempted to defend its position through the “Myth vs Fact” page on its official website. Musk’s company claimed that it deliberately established an entity in Namibia with plans to partner with local companies to create jobs and open new economic opportunities for the surrounding community.
This failure in Namibia extends the blacklist for Starlink in the region, following a similar failure in the neighbouring country, South Africa. There, strict ownership rules became the main barrier to the entry of this advanced internet technology into the domestic market.
Currently, telecommunications companies operating in South Africa, including those with foreign investment, are required by law to allocate 30 per cent equity to historically disadvantaged groups. This policy is an effort by the local government to mitigate the legacy of racial inequality left by the apartheid era.
Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa, firmly refused to relinquish part of his company’s ownership to meet those requirements. Musk sharply criticised the Black Economic Empowerment policy, calling it openly racist.