Safaricom Ethiopia has surpassed 15 million 90-day active subscribers, marking a major milestone as the telecom operator commemorates five years since receiving its unified telecommunications operating licence from the Ethiopian government.
The company received its licence in July 2021 and commenced commercial operations in October 2022. Safaricom said the milestone was achieved in less than four years of commercial operations, reflecting one of the fastest customer growth journeys 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. All its sites are 4G-enabled and 5G-ready, supporting the rapid expansion of connectivity across the country.
The network has expanded beyond major population centres into smaller towns and communities, increasing access to telecommunications services for more Ethiopians. Safaricom said the combination of more than 15 million active subscribers and over 3,500 network sites demonstrates the rapid scale of its operations.
The growing customer base is also bringing the business closer to financial breakeven. Significant investments in network infrastructure, technology, distribution and operations have been accompanied by rising customer numbers and revenues.
Safaricom also highlighted the broader impact of increased competition following Ethiopia’s telecom-sector liberalisation, including expanded connectivity, faster digitisation, higher internet speeds and data consumption, and the growth of digital payments.
Beyond telecommunications, the company has invested in technology talent and community development. Safaricom directly invested ETB 139 million in community initiatives, while shareholders and partners contributed a further ETB 545 million, bringing total community investments to ETB 684 million over the past four years.
The milestone highlights Safaricom Ethiopia’s growing role in the country’s digital transformation, with its impact extending beyond subscriber growth to connectivity, digital financial services, community development and the wider digital economy.
