Ethiopia’s state-owned telecom giant, Ethio Telecom, has unveiled an ambitious three-year growth strategy aimed at raising revenue by a projected 45.5% and accelerating the country’s digital transformation.
The growth blueprint, called “Next Horizon: Digital & Beyond 2028 Strategy”, builds on the telco’s recently completed LEAD Growth Strategy (2022–2025), which saw major gains in subscribers, mobile money uptake, and infrastructure expansion.
Ethio Telecom CEO, Frehiwot Tamiru, said Ethiopia’s state telco is ready to push beyond connectivity into broader digital platforms and ecosystems in the quest to fulfill its growing position to be a regional digital leader.
“We are excited to announce a human-centric, three-year new growth strategy named ‘The NEXT HORIZON: Digital and Beyond 2028 Strategy.’ This strategy is set to reshape our role in shaping Ethiopia's digital destiny and expanding sustainable and inclusive growth in Africa.
“It will also unlock new opportunities in the regional and global digital economy by catalysing national development agendas,” she said.
Under the plan, Ethio Telecom aims to raise its subscriber base to 100 million, expand its mobile money platform Telebirr users to 75 million, and boost revenues to $14.3 billion (842.3 billion Birr) by 2028.
The operator will also expand 4G LTE Advanced coverage to 85%, complete its copper switch-off, and deploy AI-powered operational systems.
The growth plan comes on the back of a strong financial year. Ethio Telecom posted a pre-tax profit of $1.29 billion (76 billion Birr) for the year ending June 2025, more than an 80% jump from the previous year.
Tamiru is banking on data consumption and Telebirr adoption to drive the projected 45.5% revenue rise in the current fiscal year.
The Ethio Telecom CEO stressed that the strategy is human-centric and will create significant job opportunities while delivering long-term social and economic value.
“By the end of this period, Ethio Telecom will not only serve over 100 million customers but also strengthen Ethiopia’s position in the African digital economy. This is about growth, sustainability, and inclusivity,” she stated.
Tamiru is optimistic that the Next Horizon strategy will further solidify Ethio Telecom’s role as Ethiopia’s digital backbone while preparing it for deeper regional integration and future competition.
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