Namibia’s long-standing struggle with slow, patchy and expensive internet has collided head-on with Starlink’s bold entry bid, igniting a national debate that blends digital ambition with sovereignty anxieties.
As the world’s most influential satellite broadband provider pushes for regulatory approval, Namibia now finds itself at a crossroads.
Questions loom large whether the South-West African nation should leap into a new era of high-speed connectivity or pause to weigh the risks of inviting a powerful foreign operator into its digital core.
SpaceX vice president and head of Starlink Global Subsidiaries, Lauren Dreyer, this week declared that the company is ready to switch on services immediately once licences are cleared.
“Starlink can immediately introduce affordable broadband to Namibians no matter where they are located, and we are so excited that Communications Regulatory of Namibia (CRAN) is now evaluating Starlink’s licence application,” she said.
Dreyer further pointed out that Starlink has already set up a local entity and is “ready to pay all required fees and taxes just like other operators.”
The SpaceX vice president’s comments follow the government’s formal publication of the application in Government Gazette No. 8795 on 28 November 2025, triggering a 14-day consultation period.
CRAN spokesperson Mufaro Nesongano confirmed that public submissions remain open until 12 December, calling it “a transparent process designed to ensure all stakeholders are heard.”
Dreyer argues Namibia cannot afford delays, citing its global ranking of 149th out of 156 countries in median download speed, and fixed-broadband penetration below 5%.
She also highlighted the momentum across Africa, where Starlink has been widely embraced. “Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ghana, Botswana, Malawi, Madagascar and the DRC have eliminated regulatory barriers requiring local ownership and are advancing rapidly,” said Dreyer.
Elon Musk added his voice on his X account, framing Starlink as essential to Africa’s technological trajectory.
“Satellites with on-board AI compute will become the lowest-cost way to generate AI bitstreams,” he said. Musk stressed that this would enable unprecedented expansion and give nations without extensive grid power a future-proof digital backbone.
However, not everyone is convinced, with critics warning that Starlink’s entry could erode Namibia’s digital sovereignty and compromise national control over critical infrastructure. Lot Ndamanomhata, a Public Management, Journalism and Communication graduate, has warned that the country risks handing a portion of its digital future to a powerful foreign private actor. “Starlink’s minimal local infrastructure could extract revenue without contributing comparable economic or employment benefits while Musk’s past interventions in global conflicts raise serious sovereignty questions,” he argues.
As Namibia weighs its decision, it is clear that Starlink’s promise of connectivity comes bundled with unprecedented strategic implications.
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