Ethio telecom and Huawei have reaffirmed their long-standing strategic partnership with a renewed focus on accelerating Ethiopia’s digital transformation through innovative enterprise solutions, SME empowerment and broader digital ecosystem development.
During high-level discussions between Ethio telecom CEO Frehiwot Tamru and Huawei Northern Africa President Li Shen, both organisations aligned their collaboration with Ethio telecom’s Next Horizon: Digital & Beyond 2028 strategy, expanding their partnership beyond telecommunications infrastructure into business innovation, digital platforms and technology-driven services.
A key priority is the joint development of industry-specific digital solutions that combine connectivity, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), data centre services and digital platforms to help enterprises modernise their operations and improve competitiveness.
The partnership will also strengthen support for small and medium-sized enterprises by integrating innovative business solutions with the telebirr platform. This will enable businesses to access digital payments, financial services, e-commerce capabilities and business management tools designed to improve productivity and expand market opportunities.
Recognising the importance of local innovation, both organisations also committed to expanding local software development, solution customisation, system integration and technical support. Increased collaboration between engineering teams is expected to accelerate the delivery of solutions tailored to Ethiopia’s evolving business environment.
The discussions also covered initiatives to improve smartphone affordability and digital device accessibility through innovative financing models, helping accelerate digital inclusion and expand participation in Ethiopia’s growing digital economy.
Beyond commercial objectives, Ethio telecom and Huawei reaffirmed their commitment to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives, including digital literacy, digital education, rural connectivity, community empowerment and sustainable digital infrastructure development.
The companies also agreed to strengthen collaboration in customer education, marketing communications and digital awareness campaigns to accelerate the adoption of digital services such as telebirr and enterprise digital solutions.
The renewed partnership reinforces Huawei’s commitment to supporting Ethio telecom’s evolution into a technology-driven digital services company while positioning both organisations to develop scalable digital solutions that can support businesses across Ethiopia and expand into regional African markets.
