Back in May, it became official that Safaricom was moving in to the Ethiopian market. A partnership between Vodacom Group, Vodafone Group, Sumitomo Corporation and CDC Group, led by Kenya’s Safaricom would form what is known as “The Global Partnership for Ethiopia”.

The Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA) has now announced the issuing of a new Telecommunications Operator License.

This licence has been given to “The Global Partnership for Ethiopia” which has registered its local company with the name: Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia PLC. This means we will now see two different Safaricoms: Safaricom PLC Kenya and Safaricom PLC Ethiopia. It remains to be seen how each will work.

Here’s the official statement from the Ethiopian Communications Authority:

Dated July 14th 2021:

The Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA) has issued a Telecommunications Operator License for a new Telecommunications Service Licensee.

Pursuant to Articles 40 and 41 of the Tender Regulations, the Designated Licensee (Global Partnership for Ethiopia) shall incorporate a local company within forty-five (45) calendar days following the designation date, and the local company shall execute the Provisional License Agreement executed by the parent company within three (3) working days of the commercial registration date.

Accordingly, the Designated Licensee and parent company, Global Partnership for Ethiopia has incorporated and registered its local company Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia PLC, and the local company has executed the final License Agreement in due time. Hence, the ECA has granted a nationwide full-service Unified Telecommunications Service License to the Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia PLC effective from 9 July 2021, valid for a term of fifteen (15) years from the Effective Date, and renewable for additional terms of fifteen (15) years subject to fulfillment of all license obligations.