Starlink, the satellite-based internet service developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has officially launched in Guinea-Bissau, marking its seventh entry into the West African market.

This follows the formal approval granted in April by the country’s National Regulatory Authority for Information and Communication Technologies (ARN-TIC), allowing Starlink to move forward after receiving a provisional license in December 2024.

The company is now completing final administrative steps for a full nationwide rollout.

Guinea-Bissau faces significant connectivity challenges, with an estimated 67.5% of the population still offline.

Until now, residents have relied on just two main providers, Orange and Telecel, which recently took over MTN’s operations in the country.

Both operators use fibre infrastructure routed through neighbouring Senegal and Guinea-Conakry, but service disruptions are common, often leaving users frustrated by poor reliability.

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Starlink is positioning itself as a game-changer in this space.

The company will offer its Standard Kit for $400, with a residential service plan priced at $63 per month.

A more budget-friendly option, a 250 GB residential plan, will be available for $31 monthly.

In addition, Starlink’s Mini Kit will be offered nationwide for $205, providing greater flexibility for users with lighter internet needs.

This launch is part of a broader push by Starlink to help close Africa’s digital divide.

Although the continent is home to approximately 1.3 billion people, internet access remains limited, with just around 40% of the population currently online.

So far in 2025, Starlink has received operational licenses in countries including Somalia and Lesotho, and has already gone live in Liberia and Niger.

However, the company still faces regulatory delays in several other markets.

One notable gap is South Africa, where Starlink has yet to receive clearance to operate, despite its rapid expansion into neighboring countries.

Globally, Starlink now serves more than 2.6 million users through a growing network of roughly 5,500 satellites launched since 2019.

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