Airtel Africa is partnering with SpaceX to provide high-speed satellite Internet to its customers on the continent. The deal, announced on Monday, marks a major advance in providing internet access to subscribers and especially those living in remote or underserved areas.
This rollout will start in nine countries, including Nigeria, Chad Kenya, Zambia Malawi, Rwanda Niger, Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It will target regions with the most severe connectivity gaps. As of 2025 About 600 million peoplein Africa –or about 50% of the continent– lack internet access.
Starlink has been granted a licence to operate in nine of the fourteen countries where Airtel Africa operates, with 163,1 million subscribers. Starlink currently has 237,000 subscribers in Africa. Once the collaboration is operational, it will allow millions of people to access reliable internet services, including businesses, schools, hospitals and individual users.
The traditional telecom infrastructure has made it difficult for many subscribers to achieve their dream of fast, stable internet. This partnership, which combines Airtel Africa’s market presence and Starlink’s low-Earth orbit (LEO), offers a promising solution. Customers can expect more consistent voice and data connections, even in areas that have not yet been covered by fiber optics or mobile networks.
This partnership will enhance Airtel Enterprise and Business Solutions, offering high-speed Internet from rural healthcare clinics up to educational institutions. Access to Starlink’s technologies could boost local innovation and economic development as digital services become more important in sectors such as agriculture, education and finance.
This partnership will explore the use of Starlink’s satellite capability for cellular backhauling. This will enable Airtel to expand its mobile network coverage into remote areas that lack traditional infrastructure.
Sunil Taldar is CEO of Airtel Africa. He said that next-generation satellite connectivity would ensure that individuals, businesses, and communities have reliable and affordable voice, data, and internet connectivity, even in the remotest and currently underserved areas of Africa.
Airtel’s deal with SpaceX could change the telecom landscape in Africa. Airtel gains a significant advantage by integrating Starlink satellite internet with its existing ground infrastructure. This will improve the overall network quality and expand rural coverage.
This move also puts pressure rival operators such as MTN and Orange to accelerate their digital inclusion strategy. As consumers have access to faster, more reliable internet services, their expectations will rise.
“The Airtel team has played a crucial role in Africa’s telecommunication story, so working together to complement our direct offer across Africa makes a lot of sense for our business,” stated Chad Gibbs. Vice President of Starlink Business Operations at SpaceX.
The agreement, which goes beyond rural connectivity, opens the door to more collaboration between SpaceX Africa and Airtel, including leveraging Airtel’s ground infrastructure and exploring other areas of digital inclusion. It signals a move towards hybrid models of connectivity that combine satellite, cellular and broadband services in order to meet the needs of diverse users.
