Ethiopia launches tender for new telecoms licence

Ethiopia has launched a tender for a second new telecommunications licence, its communications authority said on Friday, opening up one of Africa’s largest markets to further competition.

Ethiopia’s telecoms industry is considered a big prize in Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s push to liberalise the economy after he took over in 2018, thanks to a large population of about 120 million.

Kenya’s Safaricom — part-owned by South Africa’s Vodacom Group — launched its mobile network in Ethiopia in October last year, becoming the first private operator alongside state-owned Ethio Telecom, which had hitherto enjoyed a monopoly.

Read: Wim Vanhelleputte to lead Safaricom’s Ethiopia venture

“There are several positive developments occurring in the Ethiopian telecommunications sector since the beginning of the liberalisation process,” the Ethiopian Communications Authority said in a request for qualifications notice.  — Duncan Miriri and Hereward Holland, (c) 2023 Reuters

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