Amazon Enters African Satellite Market with South Africa Deal, Bypassing Starlink Standoff

Amazon has secured its first satellite internet agreement on the African continent, partnering with South African internet service provider Herotel to launch high-speed connectivity in the country. The move marks a major step forward for Amazon’s satellite division, formerly known as Project Kuiper and now referred to as Amazon Leo, as it seeks to capture a share of Africa’s rapidly growing digital market.

The deal has received strong political backing from the South African government. Communications Minister Solly Malatsi joined representatives from both Amazon and Herotel to formally announce the partnership. While financial details of the agreement remain undisclosed, the collaboration represents a strategic breakthrough in a nation of 62 million people where broadband access remains uneven.

Amazon’s successful entry into South Africa stands in stark contrast to the struggles of its primary competitor, Starlink, owned by South African-born billionaire Elon Musk. Starlink has launched services in approximately two dozen other African nations but remains unavailable in South Africa due to the country’s strict affirmative action regulations.

Under South Africa’s Electronic Communications Act, foreign telecommunications companies seeking operating licenses must allocate a minority equity stake—typically 30%—to Black or other historically disadvantaged citizens. These policies were established to redress the severe economic inequalities left behind by the country’s former apartheid system of white minority rule.

Musk has repeatedly criticized these requirements, labeling them as racist and claiming they have prevented Starlink from launching in his birth country. By contrast, Amazon’s partnership with Herotel demonstrates a willingness to navigate the local regulatory landscape to secure market access.

To support its broader expansion across the continent, Amazon also announced a partnership with Vanu Inc., a Massachusetts-based firm specializing in mobile telecommunications infrastructure for developing markets. This collaboration aims to extend mobile internet coverage to remote and underserved communities across Africa, home to more than 1.5 billion people.

Amazon launched its first low orbit internet satellites last year and currently has more than 390 operational spacecraft in orbit. While the company is rapidly expanding its global footprint—having already signed agreements in countries such as Australia, Brazil, Thailand, and Kazakhstan—it still trails Starlink, which has deployed over 10,000 satellites since 2019 and operates in more than 160 countries.