SpaceX’s satellite internet network, Starlink, continues its expansion around the world. The company has just obtained approval from Benin authorities to deploy there and plans to be operational in several other African countries by the end of next year.
This was Elon Musk’s promise with his satellite network service: to bring high-speed connectivity to the most remote parts of the world. With more than 5,000 satellites in orbit, and thousands more expected to join them, Starlink continues to make itself available in new countries and amass additional users.
The company is betting big on the African market, where the Internet penetration rate was 43% in 2022, according to Statista. It has established strategic partnerships to develop there.
Strategic partnerships in Africa
On September 22, Starlink joined forces with Paratus, a specialist in internet supply in Africa. As part of this agreement, the latter will distribute the SpaceX network in countries that have received approval from the authorities. A month later, Musk’s company also signed a partnership with the e-commerce platform Jumia. The latter will be in charge of distributing to users the terminals necessary for the use of Starlink.
This strategy pays off. Indeed, Starlink services are already available in Nigeria, Zambia, Rwanda, Mozambique and Malawi. On X.com, Elon Musk has just announced that the offer has just been validated by the Beninese authorities, where it will be operational very soon. The service should also be deployed in Togo before the end of the year.
SpaceX aims to cover many African countries by the end of next year. Burkina Faso, Ghana, the Republic of Congo, and Ivory Coast, among others, are concerned.
A success for SpaceX
Launched in 2019, Starlink is gradually becoming a real success for SpaceX. Last week, Elon Musk announced that the division had reached its break-even point. According to information collected by Bloombergthe revenues generated by the offering should even surpass those of the company’s launch activity as early as 2024. It should then generate $10 billion for the company.
Musk has already raised the possibility of separating Starlink from SpaceX to take it public, an alternative that is becoming more and more likely. Ultimately, the businessman estimates that Starlink could record annual revenues of $30 billion.
Sources: Young Africa, Bloomberg
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