Amazon has applied for approval to build its first African satellite ground station in Kenya, putting it in competition with SpaceX as governments across the continent tighten their control over fast-growing satellite internet services.
For global operators, Africa’s youthful population and patchy broadband networks offer a mix of scale and unmet demand.
Amazon’s application lands at a time when SpaceX’s Starlink — the most widely used satellite internet service in Africa — is running into regulatory delays. Namibia and South Africa have prevented Starlink from entering their telecoms markets, enforcing local ownership rules that have become a point of contention for multinational firms operating in Africa.
SpaceX is due to make its $75 billion stock market debut on Friday, potentially sharpening investor focus on regulatory approvals in Africa’s biggest markets.