Namibia Shows Starlink the Door Again

Namibia’s communications regulator has upheld its decision to reject Starlink’s licence applications, maintaining that the satellite internet provider does not meet the country’s ownership and control requirements.

The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) initially rejected Starlink’s applications for a telecommunications service licence and a radio spectrum licence in March. The regulator found that the company failed to comply with provisions contained in Namibia’s Communications Act relating to local ownership and control.

In a statement issued on Monday, CRAN said Starlink’s appeal did not provide sufficient grounds to overturn the original decision.

“Starlink’s application remained non-compliant with the ownership and control requirements under Section 46 of the Communications Act,” the regulator stated.

CRAN also noted that Starlink submitted its reconsideration request after the statutory deadline, which expired on 23 April.

Hundreds of Reconsideration Requests Reviewed

The regulator received 624 reconsideration requests following the original decision. According to CRAN, 622 of those submissions were dismissed because they did not satisfy procedural or jurisdictional requirements.

The remaining two requests met the procedural threshold but failed to introduce new information or identify any material errors in the regulator’s original assessment.

“CRAN affirms that the reconsideration requests did not provide a sufficient legal or factual basis to alter the original decision,” the authority said.

Similar Challenges in South Africa

Starlink faces a comparable regulatory challenge in neighbouring South Africa. Current telecommunications regulations require licence holders to maintain at least 30% ownership by historically disadvantaged groups. SpaceX has argued that it cannot comply with this requirement because the company does not sell equity in local subsidiaries.

Elon Musk, who was born in Pretoria, has publicly criticised the requirement, claiming that Starlink cannot obtain a licence in South Africa because he is “not black.”

Proposed Policy Changes Spark Debate

South Africa’s Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, has proposed an alternative approach through Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes (EEIPs). These programmes would allow multinational companies to invest in skills development, enterprise support, or infrastructure projects rather than transferring ownership stakes.

Malatsi has maintained that the proposal is not intended to benefit any specific company. However, many observers viewed the move as a potential pathway for Starlink to enter the South African market.

The proposal has generated opposition from several political parties within South Africa, including the ANC, EFF, and MK Party. Both the EFF and MK Party have indicated they may challenge the policy through the courts if it proceeds.