Botswana has granted an operating licence to Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, just three weeks after a government delegation visited SpaceX in the US.
Earlier this year, the Botswana Communications and Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) had rejected Starlink’s application due to missing information, even banning its import, sale, and use.
However, this week, Botswana reversed its decision after President Mokgweetsi Masisi met with the SpaceX team at the Africa-US Business Forum in Dallas, Texas. Following the meeting, President Masisi instructed the regulator to expedite the licensing process within two weeks.
With this move, Botswana joins Zimbabwe, which approved Starlink last week after President Emmerson Mnangagwa urged swift regulatory action.
Starlink aims to improve internet access for Botswana’s 2.6 million people. Despite an 87% internet penetration rate, the country faces some of the highest data costs in Africa.
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