Ethio Telecom Unveils Ambitious Strategy to Accelerate Ethiopia's Digital Transformation

Addis Ababa, August 26, 2025 (ENA) -- Ethio Telecom has launched a strategy that aims at accelerating the digital transformation of Ethiopia and enhancing the company's role in the regional digital economy.

The strategy called “Next Horizon: Digital & Beyond 2028” was launched today.

Briefing journalists, Ethio Telecom CEO Frehiwot Tamiru said the three-year strategy follows the successful completion of the LEAD Growth Strategy (2022-2025) that solidified the company's position as a digital leader in the country.

The new strategy, designed to not only build on past successes but also to embrace new opportunities in a rapidly changing technological landscape, will take effect from 2024/25 to 2027/28, she added.

 

According to her, Ethio Telecom has been transforming itself into a globally competitive and digitally empowered enterprise, focusing on expanding beyond traditional connectivity into various digital platforms and ecosystems.

Building on the experience gained from its LEAD Growth Strategy and based on national survey studies, the company launched the new strategy that goes beyond continuity and re-envisions its role in shaping Ethiopia’s digital future and expanding inclusive growth across Africa.

The Next Horizon strategy seeks to transform Ethio Telecom into a globally competitive, regionally diversified, and digitally empowered enterprise.

It is a call to push beyond connectivity into platforms, ecosystems, and solutions that will catalyze national development agendas while unlocking new opportunities in the regional and global digital economy and positioning the company among the technology and innovation leaders in Africa and beyond, it was learned.

By the end of the three-year strategy, the total number of telecom service users is projected to reach 100 million.

 

Mobile broadband users are targeted to reach 67.3 million, and fixed broadband customers are expected to reach 1.6 million.

Also, the number of telebirr users is planned to increase by 36.8 percent to 75 million, and the transaction volume is projected to grow to 21.3 trillion Birr.

Overall, the company aims to generate 842.3 billion Birr in revenue by the end of the three years, representing a 154 percent growth from the previous strategy period.

In line with its commitment to contributing to the national economy, the company plans to disburse a total of 253 billion Birr in direct and indirect taxes, and 111.3 billion Birr in dividends to the government over the coming three years.

 

The strategy is structured around the core perspectives, such as finance, customer, internal business processes, and learning and growth, that are central to this approach.

Frehiwot reiterated its commitment to human-centric values, emphasizing the importance of human capital as a driver of innovation and transformation.

 The CEO pointed out that with over 83 million subscribers and a rich history of 131 years in the telecom sector, Ethio Telecom plans to leverage its extensive infrastructure and strong brand to facilitate Ethiopia's ambitious digital aspirations.