SpaceX’s Starlink rollout in Senegal has hit a roadblock. The African country’s Supreme Court has suspended the company’s provisional license amid a legal tussle.
When Starlink launched in Senegal in early 2026, the internet service quickly attracted thousands of users. However, customers’ connectivity is at risk after the country’s highest court suspended SpaceX’s operating license. The company’s regulatory approval has been withdrawn as the authorisation process is being contested.
The injunction is temporary as the case drags on. The issue brought before the court is that the issuing authority overstepped its boundaries while granting SpaceX’s permit. Pausing the license preserves the status quo while the judicial review plays out and is not a final verdict. The act also does not determine the legality of the original licence.
The consequences of the court drama extend beyond the courtroom. SpaceX’s five-year license was meant to bring more than one million citizens online before the end of the year. The Senegalese government also targeted underserved and remote areas to improve national digital inclusion in a country where about 40 percent of the population lacks internet access. The government also expected about $114.7 million in infrastructure cost savings.
SpaceX continues to face obstacles as it expands across Africa. Namibia recently denied the company an operating license and has so far refused more than 600 requests to review the decision.
Starlink has more than 12 million subscribers worldwide, adding about 2 million new customers in Q2 2026. Its meteoric rise came at the expense of legacy provider HughesNet, which recently filed for bankruptcy.
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