SpaceX’s satellite Internet service Starlink has launched in Somalia, three months after the National Communications Authority (NCA) granted it an operating license.
In April, the NCA announced that the service would soon be available nationwide, helping expand Internet access to remote regions.
In a post on X, Starlink announced that its high-speed, low-latency Internet service is now fully operational in Somalia.
This launch marks a significant step in improving connectivity for Somalia, especially in rural and underserved areas where traditional Internet infrastructure has been limited or unreliable.
Even with the presence of undersea Internet cables like the Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) and the Djibouti Africa Regional Express (DARE1), many rural areas in Somalia remain unconnected due to inadequate terrestrial infrastructure.
Starlink is emerging as a connectivity alternative for Somalia, offering coverage in areas not reached by traditional networks.
By deploying a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, Starlink bypasses the need for extensive ground infrastructure, delivering high-speed Internet directly to remote and underserved communities.
Somalia’s Starlink tariffs
According to the Starlink website, customers in Somalia can now purchase a Starlink standard hardware kit for US$390, while monthly residential subscriptions cost $70.
For those happy with a more compact offering, the Starlink mini kit will retail for $210.
_(1)_(1)_(1).jpg "Starlink antenna ontop of a roof")
Starlink’s launch in Somalia follows launches in Chad, Lesotho, the DRC and Guinea-Bissau. (Source: Timothy Sithole)
Starlink also offers a 30-day trial with no contracts or data caps and estimates shipping times to be two weeks in the country.
In Somalia, Starlink said that customers must provide identifying information to receive service.
“Customers are required to submit a photo ID that matches the information on their account,” the operator said.
Starlink’s African growth story
Starlink has been particularly busy launching in many African countries in recent times.
Just last month, the Internet service launched in Chad, three months after it was given a license to operate in the landlocked country located in northern Central Africa.
In June 2025, the company launched its services in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, two months after it was granted a ten-year license.
Starlink’s entry into Lesotho followed launches in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Guinea-Bissau.
The company has increased its African footprint since launching in Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria, in January 2023.
Starlink is fully up and running in Lesotho, Botswana, Ghana, DRC, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Eswatini, Madagascar, Nigeria, Niger, Liberia, Benin, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi.