Elon Musk has announced that his satellite internet company, Starlink, has gotten regulatory approvals to begin operations in Nigeria, Mozambique and Philippines.
While the approvals for Nigeria and Mozambique would be the first countries in Africa with Starlink internet access, Philippines will be the first Southeast Asian country to have Starlink broadband access.
Starlink is a subsidiary of SpaceX, the U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer and space exploration company founded by Elon Musk. It has more than 1,500 low-orbit satellites designed to bring broadband services to remote areas.
SpaceX said on May 13 that Starlink internet service was now available in 32 nations where it had been licensed, including most western European nations, the United States, Canada and New Zealand.
The company has been in discussion with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) since May last year to bring the satellite internet services to Nigeria.
NCC confirmed that it has granted Starlink two licenses, including an International Gateway license and an Internet Service Provider license, each with a 10-year and a five-year tenure, according to a Nigerian news agency Nairametrics.
“Both licenses take effect from May 2022 and may be renewed after the expiration,” NCC stated, adding that the company will be trading as Starlink Internet Services Nigeria Ltd.
