Talofa,
Victoria from Techpoint here,
Here’s what I’ve got for you today:
- ICASA lays out Starlink’s road into South Africa
- Kenyan court clears $1.6bn Safaricom sale to Vodacom
- Mastercard opens African cybersecurity hub
ICASA lays out Starlink’s road into South Africa
South Africa’s communications regulator has finally spelt out what Starlink and other satellite Internet providers must do if they want to operate legally in the country. In a Government Gazette notice published this week, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) clarified that satellite operators cannot simply switch on services. Instead, they must obtain the required communications and spectrum licences or acquire an existing licence from another operator where regulations allow. The clarification comes after months of confusion over what exactly Starlink needed to enter the South African market.
The announcement doesn’t mean Starlink is about to launch in South Africa, but it does remove some uncertainty around the licensing process. Companies that want to sell Internet services directly to consumers will need a full set of licences, including Electronic Communications Service (I-ECS), Electronic Communications Network Service (I-ECNS), and Radio Frequency Spectrum licences. Wholesale-only operators still need network and spectrum licences. ICASA also noted that applications for some licences can only begin once it issues an Invitation to Apply (ITA), following a policy direction from the communications minister.
Interestingly, Starlink’s South African expansion has become one of the continent’s biggest telecom policy debates. The company has repeatedly said it wants to launch in the country, but it has yet to submit a formal licence application. Communications Minister Solly Malatsi has been pushing for Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes (EEIPs) to be recognised as an alternative way for multinational companies to meet South Africa’s empowerment requirements instead of selling local equity. That proposal has sparked fierce political opposition, with critics arguing it weakens the country’s Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) framework.
The standoff has been building for more than a year. In May 2025, Malatsi proposed changes that could make it easier for global firms like Starlink to qualify for licences. In December 2025, he formally directed ICASA to consider updating its regulations. Earlier this year, Starlink urged South Africans to support the proposed changes, arguing that regulatory reform would allow it to connect underserved communities much faster. Meanwhile, ICASA has maintained that Starlink remains unlicensed and cannot legally provide services until it satisfies the country’s regulatory requirements.
For now, the ball remains in Starlink’s court. ICASA’s latest notice provides a clearer roadmap, but the bigger issues, particularly the ownership and empowerment rules, remain unresolved. Until those regulatory questions are settled and the company secures the necessary licences, South Africa will remain one of the few major African markets where Starlink is still officially unavailable, even as the satellite provider continues expanding across the rest of the continent.
Kenyan court clears $1.6bn Safaricom sale to Vodacom
Kenya’s Court of Appeal has removed one of the biggest roadblocks to Vodacom’s planned $1.6 billion acquisition of an additional 15% stake in Safaricom, giving the government the green light to move ahead with the long-delayed transaction. The ruling, delivered on June 26, 2026, overturns earlier court orders that had frozen the sale, allowing the National Treasury to continue with a deal that would increase Vodacom’s ownership in East Africa’s largest telecom operator from about 40% to 55%. While the constitutional case challenging the sale is still alive, the judges ruled that the public interest favoured allowing the transaction to proceed in the meantime.
Victoria Fakiya – Senior Writer
Techpoint Digest
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The decision is a major win for President William Ruto’s administration, which has been counting on the roughly KSh 204.3 billion ($1.6 billion) from the sale to ease pressure on public finances. Treasury officials have argued that the proceeds will help fund infrastructure projects, strengthen Kenya’s fiscal position and reduce the government’s reliance on new borrowing and tax increases. For Vodacom, the acquisition cements its control over Safaricom, the operator behind the hugely successful M-Pesa mobile money platform that serves millions of users across Kenya and the wider region.
The case has attracted national attention because it goes beyond a simple share sale. Critics argue that handing majority control of Safaricom to a foreign-owned company raises serious questions about data sovereignty, national security and public participation. Safaricom processes billions of shillings in mobile money transactions every day through M-Pesa and holds sensitive financial data belonging to more than 30 million customers. Petitioners insisted that such a strategic asset should not be transferred without broader public consultation, while the government maintained that existing legal safeguards are sufficient to protect citizens’ data.
The legal battle began in March 2026, when High Court Judge Lawrence Mugambi temporarily stopped the transaction after petitions challenged the constitutionality of the sale. The dispute intensified in April, shortly after Parliament approved the government’s plan to reduce its stake in Safaricom. In May, another petition backed by former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka prompted a three-judge High Court bench to maintain the suspension, citing unresolved constitutional and data-governance concerns. That decision effectively stalled one of Kenya’s biggest privatisation plans until the Court of Appeal stepped in this week.
Although the latest ruling revives the transaction, the debate is far from over. The constitutional petitions remain before the courts, meaning questions around public participation, ownership of critical digital infrastructure and data protection have yet to be fully settled. Whatever the final outcome, the case is already shaping how African governments may approach future privatisations involving telecom operators that have become central to both national economies and digital public infrastructure.
Mastercard opens African cybersecurity hub
Mastercard has officially launched its first African Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, setting up the new hub in Johannesburg as cyberattacks become a growing threat to the continent’s rapidly expanding digital economy. The company says the centre will bring together governments, banks, fintechs and businesses to share cyber intelligence, strengthen defences and improve how organisations respond to attacks. The announcement was made yesterday, June 29, following a visit by Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach to South Africa and Nigeria.
The new hub is more than just another corporate office. It signals Mastercard’s push to become a key player in Africa’s cybersecurity ecosystem as more payments, banking services and government operations move online. Rather than working alone, the company wants the centre to help public and private institutions collaborate against increasingly sophisticated cybercriminals. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the initiative, saying trusted and secure digital systems are essential if Africa’s digital transformation is to succeed.
The timing is no coincidence. Cybercrime has been rising sharply across Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with Mastercard’s latest Cyber Pulse Report showing attacks increased in early 2026. The company says financially motivated attacks now account for about 71% of cyber incidents across the region, while geopolitical tensions have also fuelled more sophisticated threats. As Africa sees explosive growth in fintech, mobile money and digital payments, stronger cybersecurity is becoming just as important as expanding Internet access.
The launch also builds on years of investment by Mastercard in cybersecurity. The payments giant has already established cyber resilience centres in Europe and Saudi Arabia while investing billions of dollars globally in cyber technologies and threat intelligence. In Africa, it has steadily expanded its security footprint through partnerships with fintechs such as Smile ID on digital identity verification in 2025 and earlier collaborations aimed at helping small businesses improve cyber resilience. The new centre is effectively the next step in that long-term strategy.
Looking ahead, Mastercard believes trust will determine whether Africa’s digital economy reaches its full potential. With more consumers embracing digital banking, e-commerce and mobile payments every year, cyber threats could undermine confidence if left unchecked. By creating a continent-wide platform for intelligence sharing and coordinated responses, the company hopes the new centre will help governments, financial institutions and businesses stay ahead of cybercriminals while supporting Africa’s broader digital transformation agenda.
In case you missed it
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Have a lovely Tuesday!
Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa
