The Central African Republic (CAR) has officially entered a new digital era following the commercial launch of Starlink, a move expected to significantly boost connectivity in one of Africa’s least connected markets.
Launched on Monday in Bangui through a partnership between the government and DEVEA Centrafrique, the low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite service promises to bridge the country’s stark digital divide, where just 12% of the population is currently online.
“Starlink's high-speed, low-latency Internet is now available in the Central African Republic,” the company confirmed in a post on X.
The Central African Republic becomes the 27th African market to roll out Starlink, the satellite broadband service operated by SpaceX, extending high-speed, low-latency connectivity to underserved rural and remote communities.
CAR Minister of Digital Economy Justin Gourna Zacko is confident that Starlink will help drive digital inclusion across the country.
“Starlink will promote digital inclusion and bridge the gap between urban centres and rural areas. This is about ensuring every citizen has access to reliable, high-speed internet,” he said.
Powered by a constellation of low-orbit satellites operated by SpaceX, Starlink delivers broadband speeds of up to 305 Mbps, offering a viable alternative where fibre and mobile networks remain limited or non-existent.
However, affordability remains a key consideration. The standard Starlink kit in CAR is priced at about $420 (265,000 CFA francs), while the more portable Mini kit ranges from $240 to $250 (146,000 to 150,000 CFA francs). Monthly subscriptions are set at $58 (33,000 CFA francs), positioning the service at a premium compared to average incomes.
Despite the costs, government commitment is evident. Authorities have already secured 450 kits bundled with 12-month subscriptions to accelerate adoption across public institutions, education and business sectors.
“Reliable connectivity is no longer a luxury. It is an economic necessity. This technology will unlock opportunities in education, e-commerce and digital services,” said Zacko.
CAR joins a rapidly expanding list of African markets embracing Starlink, including Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Botswana, Malawi, Senegal and Somalia. This makes Starlink the continent’s most widely deployed LEO satellite internet provider.
By contrast, rivals such as Eutelsat OneWeb have a more limited footprint, largely focused on enterprise and government connectivity in fewer than a dozen African markets.
As competition intensifies in Africa’s satellite broadband race, Starlink’s entry into CAR signals a major leap toward universal connectivity.
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