Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye says the country will achieve nationwide satellite internet coverage by the end of 2025, a move aimed at bridging the urban-rural digital divide.
Why it matters
Only 3% of rural households currently have home internet access, compared with 43.8% in Dakar, according to a July survey by the national telecom regulator ARTP and the statistics agency ANSD.
Driving the news
- Faye announced the deal on Sept. 22 at Unstoppable Africa, part of the Global Africa Business Initiative in New York.
- “We signed with a satellite operator so that before the end of this year we can cover the entire territory with perfect redundancy for higher-quality connectivity,” he said.
- Administrative procedures for the rollout are already complete, the president added.
Context
- Senegal has built around 6,000 kilometers of fiber optic infrastructure, but vast “white zones” remain unserved.
- The plan is part of the government’s New Deal Technologique, a digital roadmap that includes:
- A national innovation hub.
- The GovNum digital governance initiative.
- New legislation like the Startup Act and Senegal Connect Startup.
Between the lines
The government hasn’t disclosed the satellite provider. Starlink, which announced plans to launch in Senegal in 2025, remains a likely candidate. The company has already opened $9 preorders for equipment, pending regulatory approval.
The bottom line
If successful, Senegal’s satellite internet rollout could dramatically expand digital inclusion, strengthen the startup ecosystem, and position the country as a regional digital hub.
Source: Extensia
