CHAMWE KAIRA
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has dismissed all applications seeking reconsideration of its decision to reject the licence applications of Starlink Internet Services Namibia (Pty) Ltd, reaffirming that the company failed to comply with the country’s communications laws.
CRAN said it received 624 requests from members of the public asking the Authority to reconsider its 23 March 2026 decision. However, 622 of the requests were dismissed because they failed to meet the procedural and jurisdictional requirements set out in the Communications Act. According to the regulator, the submissions did not clearly identify the decision being challenged, state specific grounds for reconsideration or provide sufficient information to support a lawful reassessment.
The remaining two requests were found to meet the jurisdictional threshold and were fully evaluated. CRAN said neither submission presented new evidence nor demonstrated any material error in the Authority’s original decision.
CRAN Chief Executive Officer Emilia Nghikembua said the Authority remained committed to ensuring that regulation is fair, transparent and consistent with the law.
“Innovation and connectivity are important, but they must advance within the framework of the law. Regulatory certainty and compliance are essential to a secure and competitive communications sector,” Nghikembua said.
