Digital Ethiopia 2030 strategy to expand connectivity, 5G coverage, and online gov’t services – Ethio telecom CEO

Addis Ababa, December 22, 2025 (FMC) — Ethiopia’s Digital Ethiopia 2030 Strategy will significantly expand national connectivity, scale digital infrastructure, and move nearly all public services online, senior officials said during the strategy’s official launch and review forum held at the Addis International Convention Center.

The review of the Digital Ethiopia 2025 Strategy and the official launch of Digital Ethiopia 2030 took place over the weekend in the presence of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD), federal and regional officials, heads of institutions, and key stakeholders from the public and private sectors.

Speaking on the enabling conditions for implementing the new strategy, Ethio Telecom Chief Executive Officer Frehiwot Tamiru said Digital Ethiopia 2030 places strong emphasis on connectivity, digital platforms, infrastructure, and electricity as foundational pillars for building an inclusive, accessible, and fast digital economy.

She noted that Ethiopia recorded substantial progress under Digital Ethiopia 2025, citing the expansion of 4G network coverage to 1,030 towns and cities, alongside the growth of mobile subscriptions to 97 million, including 57 million internet users.

Frehiwot further explained that efforts to expand smartphone access have reached 46 percent, enabling broader participation in the growing digital economy. She added that the country has built more than 22,000 kilometers of national fiber infrastructure and over 14,000 kilometers of metro fiber, connecting approximately 900,000 customers in urban areas.

According to the CEO, digital platforms have also expanded rapidly, with the total number of accounts opened across digital systems—including Telebirr—reaching 161 million. She added that electricity coverage has surpassed 54 percent, excluding off-grid and solar sources, reinforcing the backbone needed for digital expansion.

Looking ahead, Frehiwot said Digital Ethiopia 2030 aims to increase mobile subscribers to 128 million, introduce 5G network coverage in 100 cities, and expand the contribution of digital payments to more than seven times their current share of gross domestic product.

She stated that the strategy targets placing 98 percent of government services online by 2030, underscoring the role of digital payments and platforms in streamlining service delivery and improving efficiency across institutions. She stressed that achieving these goals requires coordinated effort from all stakeholders to build a fast, inclusive, and accessible digital economy.

Addressing the security dimension of the strategy, Information Network Security Administration (INSA) Director General Tigist Hamid said cybersecurity has been identified as a strategic priority in Digital Ethiopia 2030, alongside infrastructure and energy.

Tigist noted that the expanding digital ecosystem demands proactive protection of critical national institutions, warning that the evolving cybersecurity threat landscape cannot be deferred. She emphasized that citizens, institutions, and the wider digital economy must work collectively to build digital trust and resilience.

She recalled that cybersecurity was a core pillar under Digital Ethiopia 2025, during which key foundations were established, including the development of national cloud infrastructure and the operationalization of a digital forensic laboratory in collaboration with law enforcement agencies.

According to the Director General, Digital Ethiopia 2030 outlines 47 strategic initiatives, with five core priorities focusing on building resilient critical infrastructure, modernizing public key infrastructure, strengthening national cybersecurity capacity and sectoral preparedness, establishing incident response and disaster recovery centers, and enabling private-sector participation in the cybersecurity ecosystem.

Tigist said successful implementation of the strategy would strengthen digital sovereignty, enhance national resilience, and raise cybersecurity coverage to above 95 percent. She added that ongoing efforts will focus on addressing gaps in the enforcement of cybersecurity proclamations and implementation guidelines.