FORTUNE+ VIDEO SPONSORED CONTENTS ADVERTORIALS FORTUNE AUDIO Fortune Careers TRADE AFRICA Election 2026 New TIME REMAINING UNTIL ETHIOPIA’S NATIONAL ELECTION 0Days 0Hours 0Minutes 0Seconds




Safaricom Ramps Up Network Expansion with Locally Made Poles

May 25 , 2024


[ssba-buttons]

Safaricom Ethiopia has initiated a three-month procurement process to acquire a total of 68 poles from Woda Metal, the first telecom pole manufacturer in the country. The initial batch of 13 poles was delivered last week, marking a milestone as the first use of domestically produced poles in Ethiopia's telecom sector. Wim Vanhellputte, CEO of Safaricom Ethiopia, praised the high quality and affordability of Woda Metal's poles, which will be crucial for their network expansion goals. The company is set to invest two billion dollars over the next two years to establish 7,000 network sites and achieve 85pc national coverage. This ambitious expansion follows its entry into the market with an 850 million dollar license fee and a 600 million dollar investment in network infrastructure.


Radar

Association Reports Largely Peaceful Vote, Flags Gender Gaps, Registration Issues

The Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA) says the 7th National and Regional Elections held on June 1, 2026 were largely peaceful, orderly, and transparent, based on its preliminary monitoring report. Deploying 60 observers across 136 polling stations in nine regions and two city administrations, EWLA's Violence Against Women in Elections (VAW-E) mission found strong voter protection measures, with 92.5pc of stations prioritising pregnant women, nursing mothers, the elderly, and persons...


Radar

ESL Prepares to Launch Full Digital Logistics Platform

Ethiopian Shipping & Logistics (ESL) is finalising plans to roll out a comprehensive digital service platform aimed at reducing bureaucracy and streamlining maritime trade operations. Under its “Digital ESL” initiative, the system will allow importers and commercial clients to handle key services online, including freight inquiries, vessel bookings, and access to customs and tariff information, removing the need for physical office visits. The platform will also integrate digital p...


Radar

Ministry of Revenues Reports High Number of Digital Tax Payments

The Ministry of Revenues reported over 281 billion Br collected through its electronic payment platform in the first 10 months of 2026. Elsabeth Ashenafi said the record digital inflow reflects a steady shift of taxpayers from cash and cheque-based settlements to online systems, supported by ongoing reforms to improve compliance and reduce administrative bottlenecks. Officials attribute the growth to the efficiency and convenience of the e-payment system, which allows taxpayers to file and...