SpaceX and e-commerce giant Jumia Technologies AG have joined forces to accelerate the deployment of Starlink's satellite Internet network services in Africa. Through this partnership, Jumia will make Starlink terminals and satellite kits available in the African nations where it operates.
Hisham El Gabry, chief commercial officer of Jumia, expressed, “We have seen Starlink do these types of deals in Southeast Asia and South America, and now Africa will also have the opportunity to access fast-speed internet services. The plan is to start selling through our sites and agents in Nigeria this month, and then Kenya.”
Just a week prior, Starlink inked a distribution pact with Paratus, a pan-African broadband provider. The objective is to accelerate the adoption of their services across Africa, aligning with SpaceX's global mission to deliver high-speed internet, even in remote and less accessible areas. Moreover, in 2023 alone, the company aims to launch its commercial services in 23 African nations, with operations already underway in five.
The collaboration between Starlink and Jumia is expected to intensify competition within the African Internet market and expand Internet accessibility for millions of individuals. Jumia currently boasts 8.4 million active consumers throughout Africa, averaging one transaction every two seconds. Additionally, the e-commerce platform registered approximately 1.1 billion visits in 2022, resulting in 38.9 million orders.
