Vodacom Group has entered a partnership with Elon Musk’s Starlink to provide high-speed satellite internet across Africa, aiming to tackle the challenge of rural connectivity.

The collaboration, announced on Wednesday, will see Starlink’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites integrated into Vodacom’s network to provide faster, more reliable internet access for remote communities and businesses. 

The agreement also authorises Vodacom to resell Starlink’s equipment and services across its African markets, opening new possibilities for small businesses, schools, and health centres in areas where traditional infrastructure is expensive or impractical.

Vodacom, majority-owned by Britain’s Vodafone, said the partnership is an important step in its Vision 2030 strategy, which seeks to grow its customer base from 223 million to 260 million and expand financial services users to 120 million within five years. 

In adding satellite connectivity to its mix of 4G, 5G, fibre, and microwave services, the company is moving closer to universal coverage across the continent.

Chief Executive Officer Shameel Joosub described the partnership as essential to achieving inclusive connectivity across Africa. “We are delighted to collaborate with Starlink, a move that accelerates our mission to connect every African to the internet. Low Earth orbit satellite technology will help bridge the digital divide where traditional infrastructure is not feasible, and this partnership will unlock new possibilities for the unconnected,” he said.

For Starlink, which is already operational in 25 African countries including Nigeria, Kenya, and Zambia, the agreement supports its expansion through an established telecom operator with deep local reach. 

Chad Gibbs, vice president of Starlink Operations at SpaceX, noted the partnership’s value: “Starlink is already serving people, businesses, and organisations in 25 African countries. By collaborating with Vodacom, Starlink can deliver reliable, high-speed connectivity to even more customers, transforming lives and communities across the continent.”

Beyond consumer access, Vodacom plans to provide bespoke enterprise solutions powered by Starlink’s satellite technology. These include backup internet services, connectivity packages for remote sites, and flexible plans for industries such as mining, oil and gas, agriculture, tourism, and finance, sectors where downtime can mean significant losses.

The deal also strengthens Vodacom’s competitive stance against MTN Group, which has been exploring its own satellite partnerships. 

Vodafone, Vodacom’s parent company, has already aligned with Amazon’s Project Kuiper and AST SpaceMobile, showing a pivot among global telecom operators towards hybrid terrestrial-satellite networks.