During a visit by the House of People’s Representatives to its headquarters, Safaricom Ethiopia announced its next phase of network expansion, set to begin in January 2025. While the company plans to extend coverage to various areas ranging from Assosa to Moyale, it confirmed that western parts of the country will remain excluded from its plans for the foreseeable future.
During the visit, Safaricom also renewed its call for equality in Ethiopia’s telecom industry, urging lawmakers to address regulatory challenges. Key priorities include additional spectrum allocation, a TowerCo licensing regime, resolving on-net parity for significant market power, and enabling interoperability between M-Pesa and other mobile financial service providers. Safaricom also advocated for equal access to open platforms for banks and financial institutions.
Despite challenges, Safaricom Ethiopia continues to make an impact nationwide. Currently, the company covers 46% of the population, employs 854 staff—802 of whom are Ethiopians, with 45% under the age of 30—and operates over 3,000 network sites. Its M-Pesa platform has facilitated an annual remittance inflow of ETB 6.9 billion, supporting financial inclusion and economic growth. The lawmakers’ visit underscored Safaricom’s achievements while sparking a broader conversation on the need for regulatory support to ensure equitable telecom services across all regions of Ethiopia.
