Starlink launches in Sierra Leone

Starlink launches in Sierra Leone and joins a host of African countries to grant licenses to Starlink.

David Moinina Sengeh, the minister of basic and senior secondary education and chief innovation officer of Sierra Leone, announced yesterday that his country has authorised Starlink to operate.

He stated, “This is a significant step forward in achieving the goal of universal connectivity across the country.”

Read also: Starlink finally gets regulatory approval in Ghana

At the beginning of 2023, Sierra Leone had an internet penetration rate of only 21.2%, leaving approximately 6.85 million people without internet access. Additionally, the country’s median fixed internet connection speed stands at 11.60 megabytes per second (Mbps), considerably lower than the global average of 58 Mbps.

Moinina Sengeh expressed optimism that Starlink would “reduce the cost of internet services and make them accessible to every Sierra Leonean.” He added, “While the general service will commence soon, I have been testing it so far with great satisfaction.”

Now reading: Starlink launches in Sierra Leone