Ethiopia’s Operators Raise Tariffs Due to Macroeconomic Conditions

Both of Ethiopia’s operators – Ethio Telecom and Safaricom – have announced tariff rises, citing current macroeconomic conditions as the main reason, alongside increased investment requirements for network expansion and service quality.

Ethio Telecom has implemented what has been described as a moderate adjustment to its tariffs, but its statement focuses heavily on the positives, saying: “The adjustment is essential to ensure continuity and quality of services, and to sustainably strengthen the ongoing expansion of telecommunications and digital infrastructure across the country.”

Safaricom Ethiopia has announced a 44% average rise in mobile data charges. The ITWeb Africa news service calls this the company's most aggressive pricing adjustment since entering the Ethiopian market two years ago.

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Ethiopia: Safaricom Integrates M-Pesa into National Payment Network

M-Pesa was commercially launched in Ethiopia in August 2023, about a year after mobile services. The platform primarily competes with Telebirr, the service of the incumbent operator Ethio Telecom.

Mobile phone company Safaricom Ethiopia has integrated its M-Pesa mobile money platform with the national payment network EthSwitch. The initiative, announced on Monday, October 27, now enables full interoperability between M-Pesa and some fifteen banks and mobile wallets, with further integrations planned in the coming weeks.

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Ethio Telecom Unveils Znexus to Bridge Digital Divide

Ethio telecom has unveiled Znexus, a new line of affordable and cloud-powered smart devices aimed at connecting millions of Ethiopians priced out of the smartphone market. The initiative directly targets the country’s usage gap, a major barrier, that prevents millions of citizens from joining the economy despite widespread network coverage. The Znexus service, which forms part of Ethiopia’s ambitious Horizon Strategy to achieve a digitally empowered society by 2027/2028, will provide millions with access to affordable smart feature phones, tablets, laptops, and thin client PCs.

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Ethio Telecom and TINNO Explore Collaboration to Drive Digital Inclusion Across Ethiopia and Africa

Ethio Telecom and TINNO, a global technology company and leading Original Design Manufacturer (ODM), have held a high-level strategic meeting to explore a transformative partnership aimed at expanding access to affordable smart devices and accelerating digital inclusion in Ethiopia and across Africa.

The meeting brought together Ethio Telecom’s Chief Executive Officer, Frehiwot Tamru, and Mr. Andy Meng, Vice President of Global Business at TINNO, along with senior leadership teams from both organizations.

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Ruto Takes Over COMESA Chair, Calls for Digital Revolution

Kenya’s President William Ruto has taken over as COMESA chair with a rallying call for a continental revolution and a pledge to drive Africa’s transition from a technology consumer to a global innovation powerhouse.

Speaking at the 24th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit in Nairobi yesterday, Ruto, who leads Kenya, Africa’s Silicon Valley, vowed that his tenure will focus on accelerating regional digitalisation to unlock Africa’s economic potential.

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Ethiopian Tech Whiz to Lead MasterCard Foundation

MasterCard Foundation, one of the world’s largest philanthropies managing over $53 billion in assets, has appointed Sewit Ahderom, a seasoned Ethiopian tech leader, as its next president and CEO, effective January 1, 2026. Sewit’s elevation to the pinnacle of a pivotal Foundation driving inclusion in almost 40 countries across the continent, signals a decisive shift toward innovation and youth-focused solutions for Africa’s fast-growing economy. Read more here

Top 10 African Countries by Number of Mobile Phone Subscriptions

According to a report from Ecofin Agency, Nigeria leads African countries with 164.9 million mobile subscriptions. Ethiopia, with a total of 85.4 million mobile subscriptions, ranks fifth based on figures available for December 2024. Read more here to find out which ten African countries have the highest number of mobile phone subscriptions.