Starlink has received a licence to provide satellite broadband services in Rwanda.
A unit of SpaceX, Starlink recently made its commercial debut in Africa with a launch in Nigeria. Rwandan news outlet New Times reports that Starlink will launch a pilot scheme by the end of February 2023 which will provide connectivity to 500 schools across the country, with full commercial services to launch by the end of March.
Connecting schools is a priority for Rwanda’s government, which has laid out its goal of providing internet access to a further 3000 schools by 2025. According to Ecofin, China Exim Bank will provide around USD30 million of the funding required for this – enough to connect at least half of this target. The remainder will be provided by a broader World Bank initiative.
