By Asha Elmi - Reporter
ADDIS ABABA, September 6, 2026 – Ethiopia’s state-owned telecommunications operator Ethio Telecom is targeting revenue of 295 billion birr, equivalent to about $1.83 billion, during the 2026/27 financial year, according to the company’s annual business plan.
Ethio Telecom said the plan was announced on Thursday, with the revenue target representing a 36.7% increase compared with the previous fiscal year, equivalent to an additional 79.2 billion birr.
The company said digital and related services, including digital financial services, e-commerce and enterprise solutions, are expected to contribute 77.45 billion birr, accounting for 26.3% of total projected revenue.
Ethio Telecom is also targeting an EBITDA of 154.4 billion birr, with an estimated margin of about 52%, while its net profit margin target stands at 22%.
The operator expects to pay 43.1 billion birr in dividends to the Ethiopian government, while its direct and indirect tax contributions are projected to reach 83.8 billion birr.
As part of its contribution to national priorities, Ethio Telecom has allocated 8.1 billion birr, equivalent to about $50.3 million, to Ethiopia’s National Disaster Risk Response Fund.
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The company plans to expand its network capacity to meet increasing demand for digital services. Mobile network capacity is expected to grow from 115.1 million to 135.7 million subscribers during the financial year.
Ethio Telecom also plans to add 5,417 new 4G sites, increasing 4G population coverage from 82.23% to 95%.
The company expects its mobile money platform, telebirr, to reach 67.69 million users, while its total customer base is projected to grow to 96.2 million.
International business services, infrastructure sharing and international money transfer services are expected to generate $253.7 million in foreign currency earnings.
The 2026/27 plan marks the second year of Ethio Telecom’s “Next Horizon: Digital & Beyond 2028” strategy, which aims to expand the company beyond traditional telecommunications and strengthen its digital services.
Ethio Telecom said the strategy will support Ethiopia’s digital transformation, expand connectivity and contribute to broader economic development.