Namibia has rejected a licence application by Starlink, the satellite internet provider owned by Elon Musk, citing failure to meet local ownership and regulatory compliance requirements.
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia said the application did not meet key legal thresholds required for telecommunications operators.
A notice published in the government gazette on Monday showed that Starlink’s applications for both a telecommunications service licence and access to radio spectrum had been denied.
According to the regulator, the company met only three of the six criteria required under Namibia’s communications laws.
Central to the rejection is a requirement that telecom operators must have at least 51% local ownership. Starlink, which operates under SpaceX, is fully foreign-owned and did not obtain an exemption.
The regulator said the ownership structure presents challenges related to jurisdiction and enforcement of regulatory obligations.
It added that foreign-controlled telecom infrastructure could pose risks linked to national defence and public security, particularly in ensuring compliance with domestic laws.
The authority also cited past conduct by Starlink in Namibia. In 2024, the company was issued a cease-and-desist order for operating without a licence.
Officials said Starlink failed to respond to a regulatory summons, describing the action as disregard for the country’s governance framework in the communications sector.
Mixed assessment of technical capacity
Despite the rejection, the regulator acknowledged that Starlink satisfied several technical and operational requirements.
These included financial capacity, competition standards and the availability of radio frequency spectrum needed to provide services.
However, authorities said these factors were not enough to offset failures in ownership compliance and legal obligations.
SpaceX did not immediately comment on the decision.
Starlink has expanded its satellite internet services across several African markets, positioning itself as a solution to limited connectivity, especially in rural areas.
However, the company has faced regulatory resistance in some countries where governments enforce strict ownership laws or seek to protect local telecom industries.
