LEAD Growth Strategy Milestone Initiative that Expanded Telecom, Enabled Nat'l Digital Transformation: Ethio Telecom CEO

Addis Ababa, July 24, 2025 (ENA) -- The successful completion of Ethio telecom's three-year LEAD Growth Strategy is a milestone initiative that significantly expanded telecom and digital infrastructure, transformed service delivery, and played a catalytic role in realizing Ethiopia’s Digital Transformation Agenda, CEO Frehiwot Tamiru said.

During the LEAD Growth Strategy implementation period, Frehiwot said “our strategy was not merely about telecom services but about empowering institutions, bridging digital divides, and enabling citizens to be full participants in the modern economy.”

The CEO added that the LEAD Growth Strategy has enabled the company to remain a market leader, while reshaping Ethiopia’s digital landscape and bringing telecom services to the most remote parts of the country.

With all strategic pillars realized, the growth strategy stands as a landmark achievement – delivering sustainable growth, operational excellence, and measurable value across all dimensions of the business, she stated.

Foreign currency earning of Ethio telecom has grown from 146.9 million USD to 213.6 million during the implementation period, it was learned.

Over the three-year period, the company increased its total customer base by 24.9 percent to 83.2 million, built an additional 2,514 new mobile sites, and extended mobile network coverage to 99.4 percent of the population, and 86.5 percent of the country’s geography.

Notably,  Frehiwot said 936 towns and cities are now enjoying LTE service, while 5G services were introduced into 26 cities.

She also highlighted major achievements in cloud services, digital solutions, and the rapid growth of its mobile money platform telebirr, which has now 54.84 million users.

Telebirr facilitated transactions worth over 2.38 trillion Birr in 2024/25 alone, with cumulative transactions since launch, reaching nearly 5 trillion Birr, making it a cornerstone of the nation’s shift toward a cash-lite economy.

Frehiwot finally stated that Ethio telecom has played a central role in job creation and income generation, with over one million employment opportunities generated through direct hiring and indirect engagement in distribution and partner ecosystems over the past three years.