Addis Ababa, March 19, 2026 (FMC) – Ethio Telecom has announced that its Chief Executive Officer, Frehiwot Tamiru, has been included in the African Business Women in Leadership 2026 list, a continent-wide recognition of women driving transformation across business and governance.
During her eight-year tenure as CEO, Tamiru has led Ethio Telecom’s evolution from a traditional state-owned operator into a leading force for digital inclusion and economic growth in Ethiopia. Under her leadership, the company reported a 72.9 % increase in revenue to 162 billion birr and an over‑80 % surge in pre-tax profit for the fiscal year ending June 2025, reflecting the rapid growth in connectivity and digital services nationwide.
Ethio Telecom’s customer base now approaches 87 million subscribers, with fixed broadband connections exceeding one million and mobile data traffic continuing to expand. The company has significantly extended its network coverage, including 4G services in more than 1 060 towns and cities across the country.
Tamiru has overseen the launch and expansion of a wide range of customer-centric products, including cloud solutions and lifestyle services, and strengthened the company’s role in Ethiopia’s digital economy through its mobile money platform, Telebirr, which serves over 58 million users and processed more than 1.9 trillion birr in transactions in the most recent six-month period.
African Business highlighted Tamiru’s strategic vision, particularly her leadership of Ethio Telecom’s “Next Horizon: Digital and Beyond 2028” strategy, which aims to expand network coverage, grow revenues, and advance Ethiopia’s digital ecosystem beyond traditional telecommunications.
Ethio Telecom described the recognition as a testament to her transformative leadership and her contribution to Ethiopia’s digital future.
The company reaffirmed its commitment to driving digital inclusion, economic empowerment, and innovation under her guidance.