Safaricom Ramps Up Network Expansion with Locally Made Poles

May 25 , 2024


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

Fitch Downgrades Lemmi National Cement Investor

Fitch Ratings has lowered West China Cement Limited's (WCC) credit rating due to concerns over its financial health and operating environment in Ethiopia. The company's Long-Term Issuer Default Rating has been downgraded to 'B-' from 'B+', and its senior unsecured rating has been reduced to 'CCC+'. WCC's free cash flow is expected to remain negative in 2024, primarily due to high capital expenditures and challenges in generating sufficient revenue. The company faces significant operating risk...


Radar

Ethiopia Seals Currency Swap Deal with China

Ethiopia and China have agreed to use their respective currencies for bilateral trade, a move aimed at enhancing economic cooperation and addressing foreign exchange challenges. The announcement was made by Ethiopian Finance Minister Ahmed Shide following the recent Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) meeting in Beijing. He revealed that the central banks of both countries are finalizing the details of the currency swap agreement, similar to the one Ethiopia signed with the United Arab...


Radar

USAID Launches National Youth SACCOs

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Integrated Youth Activity (IYA), Kefeta, has reached a milestone in its youth empowerment efforts. The Amref Health Africa-led project has successfully established youth-owned and managed Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs) in 18 cities. The Kefeta Youth SACCO, now operational on a national scale, has already garnered substantial membership and savings. With over 7,800 members, 38,900 shares sold, and nearly 60 million Br in...


Back
WhatsApp
Telegram
Email