Addis Ababa, July 24, 2025 (FMC) – Ethio telecom’s three-year LEAD Growth Strategy has sparked a nationwide digital revolution and a telecom infrastructure boom, transforming service delivery and accelerating Ethiopia’s Digital Transformation Agenda, CEO Frehiwot Tamiru said.
“LEAD was never just about telecom services,” Frehiwot explained. “It was about empowering institutions, bridging digital divides, and enabling every Ethiopian to fully participate in the modern economy.”
Under this landmark strategy, Ethio telecom has maintained its market leadership while reshaping Ethiopia’s digital landscape and extending services to the most remote parts of the country, she noted. With all strategic pillars realized, the initiative has delivered sustainable growth, operational excellence, and measurable value across every dimension of the business.
During the implementation period, foreign currency earnings grew from $146.9 million to $213.6 million.
The company expanded its customer base by nearly 25%, reaching 83.2 million users, added 2,514 new mobile sites, and extended network coverage to 99.4% of the population and 86.5% of the country’s geography.
Frehiwot noted that LTE service now reaches 936 towns and cities, while 5G has been introduced in 26 cities.
She also highlighted major advances in cloud services and digital solutions, especially the explosive growth of Telebirr, Ethio telecom’s mobile money platform, which now has 54.84 million users.
In the 2024/25 fiscal year alone, Telebirr facilitated transactions worth over 2.38 trillion Birr, with cumulative transactions since launch nearing 5 trillion Birr—making it a cornerstone of Ethiopia’s shift toward a cash-lite economy.
Finally, Frehiwot emphasized Ethio telecom’s vital role in job creation and income generation, creating over one million direct and indirect employment opportunities across distribution and partner ecosystems in just three years.