The Ivorian digital landscape is about to reach a new milestone. The government has officially authorized Starlink Network CIV to provide its fixed satellite internet access services across the entire country. The official launch is scheduled for July 2026 .

The announcement was made on Thursday, June 11, 2026 by Djibril Ouattara, Minister of Digital Transition and Technological Innovation, during his appearance on the online program Gouv'Talk , organized by the Government Information and Communication Center (CICG).

A 12-month testing phase to open up rural areas

This initial authorization is granted for a period of one year. It will allow for an evaluation of the technology's actual performance before moving to the next stage.

“Starlink has obtained a license that will allow it to provide high-speed fixed internet via satellite. Thus, remote rural areas, schools and health centers that did not have access to the internet will be able to connect to it (...) Based on the quality offered in terms of internet, we will finalize the specifications,” the minister stated, emphasizing that Starlink has great ambitions for the country.

To support this transition in rural areas, the minister also announced the upcoming deployment of lower-cost smartphones , guaranteeing local populations affordable access to broadband.

5G and mobile coverage: other priority projects

Beyond satellite internet, the government is accelerating the development of telecom infrastructure through two major axes:

1. The 5G rollout is about to begin: Deployment will start in July 2026. The goal is to gradually cover all cities in the country with more than 25,000 inhabitants. National operators, supported by the Ministry since the beginning of the year, have already upgraded their networks.
2. GSM network expansion: While the overall internet coverage rate (fibre, box, 2G/3G/4G) has reached 95% today, the State aims to connect all localities with more than 800 inhabitants to mobile services within four years.

With the arrival of Starlink and the deployment of 5G, Ivory Coast is strengthening its digital inclusion strategy to ensure that no citizen is left behind.