Safaricom Ethiopia Surpasses 15 Million Subscribers After Four Years of Operations

Safaricom Ethiopia  has surpassed 15 million 90-day active subscribers, marking a significant milestone as the telecom operator commemorates five years since receiving its unified telecommunications operating licence from the Ethiopian government.

The company received its licence on July 9, 2021, before commencing commercial operations in October 2022. Safaricom said the subscriber milestone was achieved in less than four years of commercial operations, describing the growth as one of the fastest customer expansion journeys recorded by a new telecom operator building its network and customer base from the ground up.

Since entering the Ethiopian market, Safaricom has deployed more than 3,500 network sites, with its network now reaching approximately 60% of the country’s population. The company said all its sites are 4G-enabled and 5G-ready, positioning the network as one of the fastest nationwide rollouts by a greenfield telecom operator in Africa.

Safaricom’s network has also expanded into smaller towns and communities, increasing access to connectivity beyond Ethiopia’s major population centres. The operator said its combination of more than 15 million active subscribers and over 3,500 network sites within five years demonstrates the rapid scale of its Ethiopian operations.

The growing customer base is also moving the business closer to financial breakeven. Safaricom said significant investments over the past five years in network infrastructure, technology, distribution and operations have been accompanied by rising customers and revenues, strengthening its path towards breakeven.

The company also highlighted the broader impact of Ethiopia’s telecom-sector liberalisation. According to Safaricom, increased competition has contributed to wider connectivity, faster digitisation, higher internet speeds and data consumption, as well as the expansion of digital payments across the country.

Beyond its telecommunications operations, Safaricom said it has contributed to the development of Ethiopia’s technology talent and local communities. The company has directly invested ETB 139 million in community development and support, while its shareholders and partners have contributed a further ETB 545 million. Combined, the investments amount to ETB 684 million in community initiatives over the past four years.

Safaricom said its entry into Ethiopia has therefore generated impact beyond subscriber growth, contributing to expanded connectivity, digital financial services, community development and the country’s wider digital transformation.