Namibia’s communications authority announced on Monday that it has rejected an appeal from Starlink regarding the denial of its license applications, confirming that Elon Musk’s satellite internet company did not satisfy the local ownership requirements.
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) initially denied Starlink’s requests for a telecommunications service license and radio spectrum access in March, citing failure to comply with the ownership and control stipulations outlined in the country’s Communications Act.
“Starlink’s application did not meet the ownership and control standards mandated by section 46 of the Communications Act,” Cran stated.
Cran noted that it received 624 requests for reconsideration from the public, of which 622 were deemed non-compliant. The authority highlighted that Starlink’s request was submitted after the deadline, which lapsed on April 23.
Among the reconsideration requests, two met the procedural requirements, yet neither provided new insights nor identified any significant errors in the original verdict.
“Cran has determined that the requests for reconsideration did not present a sufficient legal or factual basis to change the initial ruling,” it added.
In neighbouring South Africa, Starlink faces a similar situation, with its market entry hindered by comparable ownership regulations. South African law mandates that telecommunications licensees must be at least 30% owned by historically disadvantaged groups—a condition that SpaceX has stated it cannot fulfil, as the company refuses to relinquish equity in any local branches. Musk, originally from Pretoria, has further claimed that he cannot secure a license in his home country “because I’m not black.”
Communications Minister Solly Malatsi, a prominent figure in the governing coalition, has attempted to facilitate a solution. Last December, he issued a policy directive instructing the regulator, Icasa, to acknowledge equity-equivalent investment programs (EEIPs), allowing multinational companies to invest in skills development, enterprise growth, or infrastructure rather than divesting shares.
While Malatsi insists this reform is not specifically intended for any single entity, it has been interpreted as a move to benefit Starlink, sparking significant political backlash within the coalition, particularly from the ANC, EFF, and MK Party, with the latter two threatening legal action.
However, this path has encountered further difficulties. In May, Icasa informed the minister that it could not fully implement his directive without amending the Electronic Communications Act, a move that would require a lengthy parliamentary process. Malatsi has pledged that the government will pursue these legislative changes.
Currently, the situation remains unchanged: Icasa claims it has not received a formal licence application from SpaceX, and the service is being utilised locally only through unofficial channels. A legitimate launch is now perceived as unlikely before 2027, with ownership regulations continuing to pose a barrier and political tensions showing no signs of easing.
