African Ministers in charge of Information and Communication Technology are preparing to take a united stand against Starlink for operating on the continent without local offices.
This “class action” was revealed by the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George.
The Minister says the ICT ministers across the sub-region are increasingly becoming concerned about Starlink’s lack of physical presence in African countries where it offers services.
To protect consumers and ensure compliance, Sam George has disclosed that discussions are underway among ICT policymakers to initiate a “block action” that will compel Starlink to establish offices within the territories it operates.
“It’s a cause of concern, not just here in Ghana. Across the sub-region, most of the ICT ministers are worried about it, and we’re going to be taking collective action. They must show physical presence in our countries. It’s not going to be one country acting. It’s going to be a block action,” Sam George said in an interview monitored by The High Street Journal.
This move marks a significant step towards regulatory cohesion in West Africa, where countries are looking to ensure that foreign digital service providers are subject to the same obligations as local companies.
According to Sam George, the absence of Starlink in the jurisdictions it serves is not just an inconvenience, as it poses a serious risk to effective regulation and consumer rights protection.
The potential joint action could range from a possible revision of licensing requirements to outright bans if compliance is not met. This will be a pivotal moment in Africa’s digital sovereignty, as countries begin to assert greater control over foreign tech players reaping economic benefits without proportional accountability.
