Senegal court suspends Starlink licence again
Supreme Court rejects state's appeal, leaving Starlink's internet provider licence in limbo.
The Supreme Court of Senegal rejected the state's request to retract its decision on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, leaving Starlink's internet provider licence suspended for the second time in two months. This ruling follows the court's initial suspension in September. The state's attempt to present the recent publication of Starlink's terms of reference as new evidence was dismissed by the court.
The cost of Starlink's licence, reported as 100 million FCFA, has drawn scrutiny when compared to other operators. In 2007, Sudatel paid 200 million dollars (approximately 90 billion FCFA) for Expresso's licence after a tender, and Sonatel paid 100 billion FCFA in 2017 for its licence renewal and 4G. The publication of Starlink's terms of reference on the ARTP website revealed the licence fee, which is lower than that paid by smaller Senegalese internet providers.
This situation raises questions about the fairness of licensing rules for telecommunications operators in Senegal. Existing providers who paid significantly higher fees and underwent rigorous tender processes are questioning the application of regulations. The Supreme Court is expected to make a final decision on the validity of a licence awarded under these circumstances.
Why it mattersSenegalese internet service providers who paid significantly more for their licences are questioning the regulatory fairness after Starlink received a licence for a much lower fee.