Ethiopia Emerges as Africa’s Second Largest Telecom Market with Safaricom Entry.

Addis Ababa: Ethiopia is now the second largest telecom market in Africa following the entry of Safaricom into the country's telecommunications landscape, as revealed by the Human Resource Development, Labor and Technology Affairs Standing Committee Chair of the House of Peoples' Representatives. The announcement was made during the 13th African Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF), which commenced today under the theme 'Building Our Multi-Stakeholder Digital Future for Africa'.According to Ethiopian News Agency, Negeri Lencho, Chair of the Standing Committee, highlighted the significance of AfIGF in promoting regional exchanges on crucial digital policy matters. The forum included a session of the African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG), where the discussion centered around the role of parliamentarians in effective data governance across the African continent. Negeri emphasized that Ethiopia's Digital Ethiopia 2025 strategy has played a pivotal role in liberalizing the telecom sector, re sulting in the entry of an additional internet service provider into a market of over 130 million people.Negeri further elaborated that Ethiopia's telecom market now boasts more than 80 million mobile voice subscribers and over 50 million data and internet users. He also noted that electronic money transactions in Ethiopia have surpassed traditional methods, reaching over 3 trillion Birr. This development, he stated, is significant for parliamentarians who are keen to understand the implications in terms of policy directions. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the digital divide remains a significant barrier to internet access, with device affordability being a key factor.Adil Sulieman, Senior Policy Officer at the Information Society Division of the African Union Commission, underscored Africa's commitment to realizing the largest free trade zone in the world, which necessitates increased connectivity and free flow of information. Sulieman highlighted the role of APNIG in advancing Africa's digital trans formation, despite challenges such as the digital divide, cybersecurity threats, and regulatory barriers. He stressed the importance of data in policy-making for socioeconomic advancement and the need for new regulations to ensure data security and trust.Sulieman concluded by pointing out Africa's determination to be a prominent player in the global digital landscape by addressing digital and data divides. He emphasized the continent's potential to drive socioeconomic development and shape the future of digital technology worldwide.