Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia announced the launch of commercial operations in the conflict-affected Tigray region, beginning the construction of a 4G network that can be upgraded to 5G.
The expansion into Tigray is being executed in two phases. The first phase, now complete, involved building 125 towers. The second phase will add 166 more towers to reach cities in Northern and Western Tigray. This phased approach aims to build an independent, state-of-the-art 4G network that is 5G-ready, although no timeline was provided for completion.
Safaricom has also established a regional office in Tigray, employing a dozen people, with more recruitment underway. The company expects its operations to indirectly create thousands of jobs through partnerships with local companies for distributing airtime, SIM cards, devices, and producing branding materials.
Safaricom expressed gratitude to the Interim Regional Government of Tigray for its support in making the project a reality. The interim government was established by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in March 2023, following a devastating war between the Ethiopian federal government, Eritrea, and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) from November 2020 to November 2022, which killed up to 600,000 people and displaced tens of thousands.
Tigray is still recovering from the war, facing its worst drought in 40 years and a locust invasion projected to cut this year’s harvest in half. The Ethiopian government estimates that reconstruction in Tigray will cost around $20 billion, according to the Financial Times.
