Tanzania’s Prime Minister, Mwigulu Nchemba, has held talks with representatives of SpaceX and Starlink over potential investment in the country’s communications and technology sectors.
The meeting took place at the Hyatt Hotel in London, United Kingdom, on October 7, 2026, according to information from the Prime Minister’s Office. The meeting was attended by Minister for Communication and Technology Angela Kairuki, Finance Minister Khamis Musa Omar and Minister for Planning and Investment Kitila Mkumbo.
The talks come more than three years after Starlink founder Elon Musk said the company was waiting for government approval to launch its satellite internet service in Tanzania.
In February 2023, Musk responded to a user on X who had asked him to make Starlink available in East Africa, particularly Tanzania. “We would love to. Just waiting for government approvals,” Musk said at the time.
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The earlier discussions centred on Starlink’s proposed entry into Tanzania. The service, operated by SpaceX, uses satellite technology to provide internet connectivity without relying on conventional telecommunications towers, according to the previously supplied material.
At the time, then-Information Minister Nape Nnauye said Starlink had already been informed of documents it needed to complete for the process to proceed.
“They were answered a long time ago. They have documents they are required to complete so the process can continue; they have not completed the documents,” Nnauye said in February 2023.
The latest meeting places SpaceX and Starlink within broader investment discussions involving Tanzania’s communications and technology sectors. The Prime Minister’s Office said Nchemba’s visit to the United Kingdom was also intended to lead a Tanzanian delegation in engaging investors and companies in mining, banking, technology, manufacturing and construction, with the aim of strengthening partnerships and attracting investment.
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The investment forum was also presented as an opportunity to promote Tanzania’s investment environment and encourage partnerships between the government, investors and the private sector.
The latest statement does not specify whether Starlink has received approval to begin commercial operations in Tanzania, nor does it provide details of any agreement reached during the meeting.
