In a statement, the Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA) said the license was issued to Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia, a freshly incorporated local telecoms operating company owned by the Global Partnership for Ethiopia (GPE) consortium which consists of Safaricom, Vodacom, Vodafone Group, Sumitomo Corporation and CDC Group. (Mobile World Live)
Mobile World Live
The first private mobile operator in Ethiopia moved a step closer to launching services after the nation’s regulator issued a final license to the newly created local company run by a consortium which recently received the green light to start operations.
In a statement, the Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA) said the license was issued to Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia, a freshly incorporated local telecoms operating company owned by the Global Partnership for Ethiopia (GPE) consortium which consists of Safaricom, Vodacom, Vodafone Group, Sumitomo Corporation and CDC Group.
Effective from 9 July, Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia was granted a “nationwide full-service” license with a term of 15 years and a renewal option for a further 15, subject to fulfilment of all necessary obligations.
Commenting on the move on Twitter, Safaricom congratulated the new entrant for “going beyond and earning a final full-service nationwide telecoms license to operate in Ethiopia”.
Earlier this month, the consortium announced the new operator will be headed by Vodacom DRC MD Anwar Soussa.
Ethiopia commenced a process to issue two new mobile licences in November 2020, issuing one to GPE in May.
At the time, the consortium pledged to invest $8 billion into the Ethiopian entity in the span of ten years.
After Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia launches services, it will be the second company operating in the market alongside state-run Ethio Telecom.
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