Addis Ababa, 23 May 2024

Safaricom Ethiopia is proud to announce the receipt of the first batch of 13 locally manufactured telecom towers from Woda plc. significant milestone marks the beginning of a new era in the Ethiopian telecommunications industry, with local manufacturing playing a pivotal role in our infrastructure expansion.

Safaricom Ethiopia has contracted Woda plc, the first local company to manufacture network towers in Ethiopia, to supply us with 68 high-quality towers. The towers cost a total of 50 million birr. These towers are essential to our efforts to enhance and extend our network infrastructure across the country. Woda plc's commitment to quality ensures that these locally produced towers meet the same standards as those we have previously imported, but at a more competitive price point.

"This is a historic moment for Safaricom in Ethiopia as we have started the localization of the manufacturing of our infrastructure," said Wim Vanhelleputte, CEO of Safaricom Ethiopia. "The quality of their towers is good; their galvanization plant is the biggest in Africa and their cost-effectiveness will enable us to expand our network more efficiently and effectively. This collaboration not only supports our operational goals but also contributes to making manufacturing in Ethiopia the standard for Africa."

The introduction of locally manufactured towers represents a significant step forward in our mission to provide reliable and accessible telecommunications services to all Ethiopians. It underscores our commitment to supporting local industries and contributing to the economic development of Ethiopia.

"This is a huge milestone in manufacturing in Ethiopia," said Steven Cui, CEO of Woda plc. "We are proud to be the first local company to supply telecom towers to Safaricom Ethiopia, and we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality and reliability in our products. Our growth depends on your confidence in us; therefore, we would like to thank you for engaging with us."

Safaricom Ethiopia remains dedicated to delivering superior telecommunications services and fostering local industry growth. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Woda plc and other local companies to achieve these goals.

Safaricom Ethiopia recently announced a 1.5 billion USD network expansion plan that entails the construction of 5,000 towers over the coming three years. It currently has more than 2,800 towers out of which two-thirds are self-built while the rest are leased.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Tewedaj Sintayehu, Internal Communications Manager at Safaricom Ethiopia – 0777658611