Ethiopia’s state-owned telecoms giant, Ethio Telecom, has unveiled a new digital platform set to transform legal services, heralding a major leap in the country’s digital governance drive.
Dubbed teleSign, the platform enables fully online document authentication, power of attorney processing, and legal licensing, eliminating the need for physical visits to government offices, embassies, or consulates.
Developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Federal Documents Authentication and Registration Service, the solution brings traditionally slow legal processes into the digital age.
Speaking during the launch, Ethio Telecom CEO Frehiwot Tamru said the platform is consistent with Ethiopia's overall digital transformation strategy.
“teleSign replaces fragmented and time-consuming processes with an integrated, secure digital ecosystem powered by AI, national digital ID, and cloud infrastructure. It will serve over 110 million citizens and significantly enhance trust, efficiency, and accessibility in public services,” she said.
The platform leverages AI-powered video identity verification and integrates with the Fayda national digital ID, allowing users to authenticate documents remotely within minutes, down from weeks.
Payments are processed through telebirr, while data is securely hosted on local cloud infrastructure to safeguard national digital sovereignty.
State Minister of Foreign Affairs Berhanu Tsegaye described teleSign as a “game-changer” for citizens at home and abroad.
“This platform makes authentication services more legal, reliable, fast, and user-friendly, particularly for the diaspora who previously had to travel long distances for such services,” he said.
State Minister of Justice Belayhun Yirga further highlighted the broader socio-economic impact of the innovation.
“teleSign will reduce costs, ease pressure on our justice system, and create new digital employment opportunities while improving service delivery,” he stated.
Accessible via mobile app and web, teleSign operates 24/7, ushering in borderless legal services and reinforcing Ethiopia’s push toward a fully digital, paperless government under its Digital Ethiopia 2030 vision.
More importantly, the launch positions Ethio Telecom not just as a connectivity provider, but as a central player in building Ethiopia’s secure, citizen-centric digital ecosystem.
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