The governments backing of Starlink highlights its belief that the technology can bypass traditional infrastructure barriers limiting internet access in Chads remote areas.
Starlink has begun operations in Chad after completing the licensing process and updating its availability map to include the Central African nation.
The company announced the launch on X. The post read: “Starlink’s high-speed internet is now available in Chad, marking the 24th country, territory or market in Africa where Starlink is available.”
Chad granted Starlink an operating license in November 2023, paving the way for the rollout of its low-Earth orbit satellite service in a country where internet connectivity remains extremely limited.
Starlinks expansion into Chad is part of a broader effort to address low internet penetration across Africa, where only 40% of the continents 1.3bn residents are onlinethe lowest rate in the world. The service has already launched in multiple countries, including Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Madagascar, Benin, South Sudan, Eswatini and Sierra Leone. In 2025, Starlink secured operating licenses in Somalia and Lesotho and went live in Liberia and Niger.
Despite this rapid growth, Starlink continues to encounter regulatory hurdles in some markets. In South Africa, the continents most developed economy, the service remains unavailable due to outstanding licensing and compliance challenges.