Algeria’s post and electronic communications regulator, ARPCE, has launched Competitive Tender No. 01/2026 for the award of two licences to establish and operate public electronic communications networks using Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) satellite systems, marking the country’s first formal opening to next-generation commercial satellite operators.
The tender, formally approved by ministerial order on 6 April 2026, is grounded in Law No. 18-04 of May 2018 governing post and electronic communications and Executive Decree No. 01-124 governing competitive licence procedures. Two categories of applicants are eligible: existing VSAT licence holders operating in Algeria, and electronic communications operators that own NGSO satellite constellations with global coverage — a description that maps directly to players such as Starlink, OneWeb, and Amazon’s Project Kuiper.
The tender dossier is available for collection from ARPCE’s headquarters in Algiers between 9 and 19 April 2026, subject to payment of a non-refundable fee of one million Algerian dinars (approximately $7,400). Interested parties must submit a formal mandate identifying an authorised representative and designated contact.
The move reflects intensifying pressure across North and West Africa to formalise satellite broadband licensing frameworks ahead of anticipated large-scale LEO constellation deployments. Algeria, which has historically maintained tight control over its telecommunications sector, is signalling a controlled opening — limiting eligibility to proven operators rather than issuing an unrestricted tender.
Editor’s Note: This is a significant regulatory development for North Africa’s satellite landscape. Algeria’s decision to cap licences at two and restrict eligibility to established VSAT holders or global constellation owners is a deliberate sovereignty hedge — it keeps out speculative applicants while positioning the country to capture LEO broadband investment on its own terms. Watch for which operators actually collect the dossier; that list will be the first indicator of who is seriously pursuing the Algerian market.
