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Tag: Safaricom Ethiopia

  • Safaricom Ethiopia donates 10 million ETB to Mekedonia Charity supporting the aged and disabled

    Safaricom Ethiopia donates 10 million ETB to Mekedonia Charity supporting the aged and disabled

    On Saturday, Safaricom Ethiopia donated 10 million ETB to the Mekedonia Charity Organization to support their work in providing hope, dignity, and care for the elderly and disabled.

    “We believe in the power of the community, and today, we are proud to reaffirm our commitment to making a meaningful difference,” Safaricom stated on Saturday.

    Read also: Safaricom Ethiopia donates 30 laptops, 6 Wi-Fi routers to schools

    As part of its continued commitment, it is also providing free Air-fiber connectivity for the fundraising period and a dedicated M-PESA Ethiopia charity donation section and short code to make it simpler for Ethiopians to support Mekedonia’s mission. This will help with fast and dependable data connectivity needs.

    During their visit to Mekedonia, Safaricom’s CEO, Wim Vanhelleputte, and staff had the opportunity to observe directly the compassion and empathy that motivate their work.

    According to what the CEO said during the handover event, “Mekedonia’s dedication to uplifting the most vulnerable is truly inspiring. We are grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside them on this journey. We are here in Ethiopia to be part of the community, to listen, to learn, to grow, and to give back, not only run a business. We encourage everyone to come together in contributing to this meaningful cause through our M-PESA platform donation section.”

    Safaricom donates relief materials to victims of earthquake 

    Likewise on Friday, Safaricom gave vital support to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Gebi Resu Zone, Dulesa, and Awash Fentale woredas in the Afar area in solidarity with the communities impacted by the recent earthquake.

    In addition to clothing and sanitary supplies gathered from its employees, its assistance consists of 25 quintals of macaroni and 25 quintals of rice valued at one million birr.

    Read also: Safaricom’s M-PESA Ethiopia crosses 10.8 million subscribers as revenue declines by 74%

    “Beyond its timely support for IDPs, Safaricom Ethiopia’s contribution sets an example for others to follow,” said Ali Ismail, Head of Disaster Prevention and IDP Coordination for the Afar area, highlighting the importance of its donation.

    Muhammad Ascare, Head of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Office for Dulesa Woreda, recognise the company’s gesture, saying: “Safaricom Ethiopia is among the few companies that have recognized the urgency of this crisis and responded accordingly. We deeply appreciate this support on behalf of the IDPs and our Woreda.”

    Officials from the local and regional authorities emphasised that Safaricom’s aid will directly help more than 200 households, giving those impacted much-needed respite.

  • Safaricom Ethiopia donates 30 laptops, 6 Wi-Fi routers to schools

    Safaricom Ethiopia donates 30 laptops, 6 Wi-Fi routers to schools

    In keeping with its mission to combine network expansion with meaningful community engagement, Safaricom Ethiopia donated 30 laptops and 6 Wi-Fi routers to three high schools in Hossaena on Monday.

    The company is also offering six months of free internet access to the schools to further support its digital education initiatives.

    In addition to offering telecom services, the telecom company is committed to empowering communities through education and technology.

    Frazer Chanyalew, Safaricom’s Regional External Affairs Manager, stated, “We believe in the transformative power of education and technology. By equipping these schools, we aim to foster a more conducive environment for digital literacy.”

    The Mayor of Hossaena city, H.E Dawit Tumdado, said, “we are ready to further support Safaricom Ethiopia in its effort to expand digital services in our city.”

    Read also: Safaricom’s M-PESA Ethiopia crosses 10.8 million subscribers as revenue declines by 74%

    About Safaricom Ethiopia 

    Safaricom Ethiopia is a technology and communication company with a clear mission dedicated to supporting Ethiopia’s goals for inclusiveness and digital transformation.

    In May 2021, the Global Partnership for Ethiopia, an international consortium consisting of Safaricom Plc, Vodafone Group, Vodacom Group, Sumitomo Corporation, and British International Investment (previously known as CDC Group), was declared the successful bidder for a licence to provide telecommunication services in Ethiopia.

    On July 9, 2021, the firm received a statewide full-service Unified Telecommunications Service License to operate. In July of the same year, Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia Plc was formally registered.

    Since its inception in Ethiopia, Safaricom has seen fast acceptance from Ethiopians with 6.1 million monthly active users covering over 33 percent of the population. Its mobile money platform, M-PESA is gaining momentum with the number of registered users increased by 245 percent to 10.8 million as of December 2024, from 3.1 million in December 2023.

  • Safaricom’s M-PESA Ethiopia crosses 10.8 million subscribers as revenue declines by 74%

    Safaricom’s M-PESA Ethiopia crosses 10.8 million subscribers as revenue declines by 74%

    According to Safaricom Ethiopia, the number of registered M-PESA users increased by 245 percent to 10.8 million as of December 2024, from 3.1 million in December 2023. Cross-border money transfers and airtime purchases were the main drivers of this rise.

    The total revenue of M-PESA decreased by a staggering 74 percent to roughly $75,969 in the nine months preceding December 2024, from roughly $297,674 in the same time in 2023, despite the increase in the number of customers.

    While transaction volume rose by 1,023 percent to 124.8 million transactions, the overall transaction value dropped by 30 percent to around $113.95 million.

    Read also: Safaricom and KBA push for unified digital payment system with Pesalink

    In August 2023, Safaricom extended its M-PESA Global service to Ethiopia, enabling cross-border money transfers with M-PESA. Interestingly, M-PESA accounted for around 20 percent of airtime top-ups, in contrast to Kenya’s penchant for using the platform for merchant payments and cash transfers.

    M-PESA’s notable advancements in Ethiopia’s mobile money industry 

    Safaricom noted notable advancements in Ethiopia’s mobile money industry since the introduction of M-PESA in its quarterly report.

    In December 2024, the average revenue per user increased by 13 percent to over $1.00, while the number of 90-day active consumers increased by 64 percent year over year to 7.1 million.

    Mobile data accounted for 76.4 percent of the total service revenue, or roughly $37.32 million, which increased by 79 percent to approximately $48.84 million. Voice income rose 28 percent year over year to about $6.74 million, while messaging revenue doubled to about $471,000.

    Read also: Safaricom seeks approval for submarine cable to rival Starlink in Kenya

    The average data consumption per chargeable client increased from 3.6GB in Q3 FY24 to 6.6GB in Q3 FY25, representing an 82.6 percent increase, and the number of one-month active mobile data consumers jumped by 141 percent year over year to 4.4 million.

    While merchants climbed by 177 percent to 119,500, M-PESA agents increased by 17 percent to 29,200.

    To reach 55 percent coverage by June 2025, the business plans to deploy 3,101 base stations, which now cover 48.5 percent of Ethiopia’s population.

  • Safaricom brings high-speed Internet to Gambella with 4G launch

    Safaricom brings high-speed Internet to Gambella with 4G launch

    Safaricom Ethiopia marked a significant milestone on Monday with the launch of its 4G network in Gambella, further expanding telecommunications access in the region. 

    Established in July 2021, Safaricom Ethiopia has been a game-changer in the Ethiopian telecommunications sector, which was historically dominated by Ethio Telecom.

    Wim Vanhelleputte, the newly appointed CEO, emphasised the transformative power of digital connectivity.

    Read also: Fresh crisis erupts between Genghis Capital and Safaricom over M-Pesa-backed unit trusts

    “This launch is not just about technology; it’s about connecting communities and enhancing lives,” he stated during the announcement.

    The new network is anticipated to offer quicker Internet, essential for educational institutions and the local business community.

    Safaricom Ethiopia reaches 3 million M-Pesa users

    Safaricom Ethiopia’s efforts have already resulted in over 3 million M-PESA users, showcasing its commitment to financial inclusion. The company plans to invest $8 billion over 10 years to enhance its infrastructure and services across Ethiopia. 

    Vanhelleputte highlighted the importance of collaboration with local talent: “We need to empower Ethiopians to realise their innovative potential.”

    Read also: M-PESA makes waves in Kenya with 34 million users milestone

    The Gambella launch is part of a broader strategy to expand Safaricom Ethiopia’s base stations to cover more than 30 percent of the country’s population. 

    This initiative aims to bridge the digital divide in rural areas, where access to reliable internet has been limited. By bringing 4G services to Gambella, Safaricom Ethiopia hopes to foster economic growth and improve educational opportunities.

    Safaricom remains committed to providing high-quality services to Ethiopians despite market constraints. As Ethiopia strives for digital transformation and economic growth, the company’s ambition promises millions a better future.

  • Safaricom Ethiopia has missed its launch deadline

    Safaricom Ethiopia has missed its launch deadline

    Safaricom Ethiopia Telecommunications Plc is a company supporting Ethiopia’s digital transformation. The company has built the anticipation of Ethiopians with the promise of the project which is to provide national coverage.

    On 9th April 2022 which should have been the launch date for the company’s website was down, displaying a dialogue box which reads “under maintenance”.

     

    Read Also : Nigerian Digital Bank Umba Raises $15M Series A Round

     

    The search for answers led to the Ethiopian Communications Authority’s website but there was no snippet of news to be gained as ECA’s website is also down and It says “The website is undergoing scheduled maintenance. Sorry for the inconvenience. Come back a bit later, we will be ready soon!”

     

    What Was Heard Last Of The Safaricom Ethiopia Project

    Safaricom Ethiopia’s last mention of the project is a pinned tweet on its Twitter handle, @safricomET dated 13th April and it reads “An important milestone for Digital Ethiopia! Today, we have successfully concluded multi-round negotiations with Ethio-Telecom, in a meeting convened by the @eca_ethiopia. We are now working to conclude the agreements. #WeAreSafaricomET #WeAreBuilding #DigitalEthiopia”

     

    Read Also : Elloe Surpasses $1 Million in Pre-seed Funding 

     

    According to Matthew Harrison-Harvey, the company’s chief external affairs and regulatory officer, in an interview with Capacity media in March, 9 April marked nine months since Safaricom was awarded its 15-year licence. That was intended to be the launch date, he said in an April-May issue of the magazine.

    The magazine also reads that “Safaricom Ethiopia has spent $1 billion so far of its planned $8.5 billion spend over 10 years. “Everyone knows the size of the project.” The company has spent money on infrastructure, including data centres (pictured).

    A year after launch, the service should be available to 25% of Ethiopia’s population. “It’s a national licence with national coverage obligations,” said Harrison-Harvey in the interview.”