DR Congo’s leading mobile operators are in talks with Elon Musk’s Starlink to expand connectivity in hard-to-reach regions of the central African country, executives told Semafor.
Africell DR Congo CEO Kory Webster told Semafor the US-backed operator was in “active conversation” with Starlink for an operational partnership. An executive from Vodacom, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the market leader was also exploring satellite collaboration with Starlink in DR Congo, calling it a “complementary” service “to extend coverage in hard-to-reach areas.”
The potential partnership comes as Kinshasa leans on satellites to close yawning coverage gaps amid slow broadband fiber rollout: It granted Starlink a license in May 2025, reversing an earlier ban on the company, and the government has backed a separate $400m national satellite plan. Around 30% of the population used the internet In DR Congo in 2023, according to the International Telecommunication Union.
Airtel, for its part, announced a group-level agreement with SpaceX in May to integrate Starlink across its footprint. Alongside satellite options, operators are extending rural reach via a new Vodacom–Orange rural tower joint venture to build and operate solar-powered sites for underserved areas. By