SpaceX’s Starlink has launched its high-speed, low-latency internet service in Guinea-Bissau, a week after entering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), bringing its total number of African countries served to 23.

Starlink is offering up to 150 Mbps in places that previously had none. Prior to its entry, an estimated 23.5% of people in Guinea-Bissau had internet access, with the percentage dropping to only 5% in rural areas. The launch comes six months after the company was granted a provisional licence, in December 2024.

An availability map indicates full coverage in regions like Bissau, Buba, and Gabú (marked as “Available”) with others designated as being on a “Waitlist” or having service “Coming Soon”, indicating a phased deployment.

South Africa-born billionaire Elon Musk’s company is in active negotiations with regulators in at least 10 other African nations, including his homeland, which has a 30% local Black ownership requirement that has proved a sticking point.

The company has more than 6mn subscribers globally and over 6,000 satellites orbiting the Earth. If the ongoing talks with other African countries go through, over 60% of the continent could be covered.

Starlink has successfully entered multiple East African markets, including Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi and most recently Somalia. In southern Africa, the service is already operational in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Eswatini, Madagascar and Lesotho. In West Africa, Starlink is available in Nigeria, Niger, Liberia, Benin, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde. However, it has yet to launch in Central or North Africa, apart from the DRC.