Ethiopia to Issue Second Telecom Operator License This Year - ENA English
Ethiopia to Issue Second Telecom Operator License This Year
Addis Ababa, August 10/2023 (ENA) Ethiopia will issue a second new telecommunications license before the end of 2023, according to the Ethiopian Communication Authority (ECA) .
in an exclusive interview with ENA, ECA Director-General Balcha Reba said that since the objective of the reform is to make a three-player market, now we have completed preparation to issue the second license tender process.
He stated that the authority had issued Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on June 30, 2023, adding that the submission date is set for September 15, 2023.
“Once we complete issuance of the RFQ and get submission from the bidders, we will proceed to the second phase of the licensing, which will be the request for proposal.”
For the director-general, the process may take two to three months. So we will be issuing the third license either in November or December.
According to Balcha, the authority will issue the third telecommunication operator license before the end of 2023.
Regarding the contribution of the telecom sector to the nation’s inclusive growth, the director-general noted that telecom supports every sector so that the sectors can be productive, efficient and work together to contribute to the economic growth.
Highlighting that the telecom sector has a magnificent portion to contribute to the country’s economic development, he said it will also create jobs and bring foreign direct investment.
The ICT in general and the telecom sector in particular have huge contribution to the country, especially to achieve Ethiopia’s goal to become a middle income country using this technology, Balcha elaborated.
The Government of Ethiopia has decided to have the incumbent Ethio telecom and two additional operators in line with the Home-grown Economic Reform.
Safaricom Ethiopia was granted a nationwide full-service Unified Telecommunications Service License in July 2021, and is the first company in the country to launch a competitive mobile service to the state-owned Ethio Telecom.