Five years after securing a full-service Unified Telecommunications Service License from the Ethiopian government on July 9, 2021, Safaricom Ethiopia has officially surpassed 15 million 90-day active subscribers.

The milestone comes less than four years after the operator launched commercial operations in October 2022, following an initial setup period focused on network construction, organizational structure, and distribution infrastructure.

Surpassing 15 million active users in under four years makes Safaricom Ethiopia’s customer acquisition one of the fastest globally among new greenfield operators building coverage from scratch.

To support this growth, the company has deployed over 3,500 network sites, covering roughly 60% of Ethiopia’s population. Every site in the network is fully 4G-enabled and 5G-ready, extending high-speed data connectivity to both major urban centers and smaller regional communities.

“Since receiving our license, we have built more than 3,500 network sites… This represents one of the fastest network rollouts by a greenfield telecom operator in Africa, and one of the fastest globally for a new entrant building a nationwide network from scratch.” Wim Vanhelleputte, CEO of Safaricom Ethiopia

Following five years of heavy upfront investment in technology, logistics, and infrastructure, the operator’s rising user base and steady revenue growth are pushing the business close to financial breakeven.

The wider liberalisation of Ethiopia’s telecommunications market over the last half-decade has driven broader economic shifts:

  • Accelerated Digitisation: Average internet speeds and country-wide data usage have scaled rapidly.
  • Financial Inclusion: Digital payment adoption has expanded across urban and rural markets alike.
  • Local Capability: Telecommunications expansion has fueled local software and IT talent development across the country.

Beyond network deployment, Safaricom Ethiopia has directed ETB 139 million into local community development initiatives over the past four years. Combined with an additional ETB 545 million contributed by shareholders and partners, total community investments have reached ETB 684 million.

As the operator approaches operational profitability, its expanding footprint continues to play a central role in Ethiopia’s broader digital transformation strategy.