Elon Musk’s SpaceX-owned Starlink is joining forces with e-commerce giant Jumia Technologies to enhance satellite broadband services across Africa.
Jumia, boasting investors like Pernod Ricard and Goldman Sachs Group, will be responsible for the distribution of Starlink’s satellite terminals and related equipment in select African nations, with Nigeria being the initial launch market in the coming weeks, as confirmed by Jumia’s Chief Commercial Officer, Hisham El Gabry.
This partnership represents an opportunity for Jumia to secure the first sales and distribution deal of Starlink’s kits on the African continent.
One of the notable advantages of this collaboration is the potential to reach areas lacking formal addresses and city mapping.
Starlink’s portable terminals, designed to connect with low-Earth orbit satellites, could contribute to delivering broadband services in a continent characterized by the lowest internet penetration globally.
While telecommunications giants like MTN Group and Vodacom Group have traditionally dominated broadband provision in Africa, infrastructure deployment in remote regions remains a challenge. Previous attempts by major tech firms to provide high-speed internet in Africa through innovative means, such as Meta Platforms’ Facebook drone project and Google’s Project Loon with helium-filled balloons, faced setbacks.
Starlink, with its network of thousands of small satellites and user terminals, appears to offer a more promising solution for connecting individuals across the vast African continent. However, the cost of a standard Starlink terminal, priced at $557 in Nigeria, may present a potential obstacle.
Starlink’s expansion across Africa has already seen launches in several countries in 2023, including Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Congo Republic, Western Sahara, Somalia, Benin, Mauritania, Togo, Kenya, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco, Angola, Malawi, Eswatini, Gabon, and Senegal. Further launches are planned for 2024, targeting countries like Zambia, Botswana, Gambia, Cameroon, Liberia, Ghana, Uganda, Namibia, Egypt, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Tunisia.
