Telecom giant to bridge rural digital divide


Telecom giant to bridge rural digital divide

Ethio Telecom looks to offer over 250,000 discounted smartphones to low-income rural communities, looking to significantly narrow the digital divide. The giant parastatal has unveiled its ambitious 2024/25 Annual Business Plan at Skylight Hotel on Africa Avenue. Frehiwot Tamiru, CEO, states this year’s bold aim is to catalyze positive social and economic outcomes across society while also enhancing the efficiency of institutions and significantly boosting productivity. A cornerstone of this strategy is the construction of 1,298 new mobile sites, looking to expand 5G services in 15 more cities and 4G services to an additional 500 towns and cities. In all, the telecom giants aims to extend its network coverage to 1,000 rural kebeles. The company has also committed to distributing over 1.1 million telecom devices to both individual and enterprise customers. It’s telebirr customer base is also earmarked to grow by 15.7pc, while projecting to generate 282.85 million dollars through the expansion of international strategic partnerships. Ethio Telecom’s growth trajectory incorporates a projected 6pc increase in the subscriber base to reach 83 million customers to secure a 74.7pc gain in revenue from 93 billion to 163.7 billion Br in this fiscal year.

[ssba-buttons]

Radar

New Directive Tightens Rules for Foreign Employment Agencies

The Ministry of Labour & Skills has issued a directive under the Ethiopian foreign employment framework, setting clear standards for agency size, capital, and operations. Depending on their level, newly established agencies can serve between 10 and over 100 workers a day. Office space requirements range from 100sqm to 700sqm, tied to operational scale. Level-one agencies must hold a paid-up capital of 20 million Br and place a security deposit of 250,000 dollars or its birr equivalent...


Radar

Audit Findings Expose Deepening Gaps in Accountability

A new study reveals that audit irregularities in Ethiopia have continued to rise year after year, driven by weak enforcement and unresolved legacy problems. The finding, commissioned by the Office of the Federal Auditor General (OFAG) and conducted by independent researchers from Addis Abeba University, examined audit reports covering 2009–2023. The study attributes the persistent irregularities to limited accountability, poor follow-up, and reduced audit coverage during political transitio...


Radar

Africa Maritime Conference Sets Sights on Seafaring Innovation

The Ministry of Transport & Logistics has launched the first-ever Africa Maritime Conference, marking a bold move to position landlocked Ethiopia as a continental hub for seafaring innovation at a time of global talent shortages. At a pre-conference briefing, Frans Joubert, CEO of YCF Manning Ltd, underscored Africa's untapped potential in the maritime sector. Of the 1.9 million seafarers worldwide, only four percent are African—despite the continent hosting around 150 maritime academie...