Namibia’s communications regulator has rejected Elon Musk’s Starlink bid to operate satellite internet services in the country, dealing the company a fresh setback in southern Africa.
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia, known as CRAN, said it had declined Starlink’s applications through its local unit, Starlink Internet Services Namibia Pty Limited. Reports on Monday said the regulator turned down both the telecommunications service licence and the spectrum application required for commercial rollout.
CRAN did not publicly provide detailed reasons for the refusal in its initial notice, but the dispute has long revolved around two issues, licensing compliance and Namibia’s domestic ownership requirements for telecoms operators.
The latest decision follows earlier enforcement action taken against the company in November 2024, when CRAN ordered Starlink to halt operations in Namibia, saying the service was being provided without the required telecommunications licence. At the time, the regulator also warned the public that the importation, sale and use of Starlink terminals in the country were unlawful while the licensing process remained unresolved.
Starlink’s application had remained under review for months. In late 2025, CRAN said it was assessing the company’s telecommunications and spectrum licence applications after a public consultation process and aimed to conclude the matter by the end of the first quarter of 2026.
A major sticking point in the process has been Namibia’s local ownership regime. Public reporting over the past year showed that Starlink sought a way to enter the market without complying with the standard requirement for majority Namibian ownership, an issue that has also complicated its expansion in other parts of southern Africa.
The rejection means Starlink will remain unable to launch licensed commercial services in Namibia for now, unless the company secures a reversal, reapplies under a different structure, or gets a policy change that addresses the ownership hurdle.
The development comes as Starlink continues to push deeper into Africa, where governments have taken different positions on the satellite internet provider. While some countries have approved its entry, others have subjected the firm to tighter scrutiny over licensing, control and market rules.
