The country experienced widespread job losses after major US funding cuts to USAid and Pepfar, led by Musk's "cost-cutting" department of government efficiency Doge in President Donald Trump's administration.
Further compounding Lesotho's economic woes, Trump imposed a 50 tariff on imports, among the steepest in the world. This led to partial closures of factories and mass layoffs, particularly in the textile industry and in frontline healthcare and school nutrition programmes.
Despite mounting local opposition, Prime Minister Samuel Matekane's government has granted Starlink Lesotho - a subsidiary of Musk's SpaceX - a 10-year operating licence to run a satellite internet network in the country. The step is seen by some as appeasement of the US.
Musk recently stepped down from his leadership role in Doge to focus on his business interests.
On Sunday evening, Starlink took to X, a Musk-owned social media platform, to announce: "Starlink's high-speed internet is now available in Lesotho." Musk reposted the message to his millions of followers.