Last Frontier

Exclusive: Avanti in talks with Safaricom, Ethio Telecom on Ethiopia entry

By David Whitehouse

Reserved for subscribers

Posted on April 12, 2023 12:13

© Safaricom Ethiopia employees walk past a billboard during the Safaricom ceremony to officially launch its operations in Ethiopia, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, October 6, 2022. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri — Safaricom Ethiopia employees walk past a billboard during the Safaricom ceremony to officially launch its operations in Ethiopia, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, October 6, 2022. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri

British satellite operator Avanti Communications aims to enter Ethiopia to increase the country’s Internet penetration, CEO Kyle Whitehill tells The Africa Report.

Avanti has applied for an operating license in Ethiopia and has started “active” discussions on partnerships with Safaricom and Ethio Telecom, Whitehill says. Somalia is also a target for expansion in east Africa, he adds.

There's more to this story

Get unlimited access to our exclusive journalism and features today. Our award-winning team of correspondents and editors report from over 54 African countries, from Cape Town to Cairo, from Abidjan to Abuja to Addis Ababa. Africa. Unlocked.

Subscribe Now

cancel anytime

Already a a subscriber Sign In

More Business

© Eskom technicians perform maintenance in Villiers, South Africa, on May 10, 2023. (Shiraaz MOHAMED / AFP)

Electric shock

South Africa prepares for the worst in load shedding It only took one statement to bring South Africa’s Eskom shares into the red. On Thursday, 18 May, Calib Cassim, acting CEO of the publicly-run nation...

© The International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters building in Washington, U.S., April 8, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

money matters

African Debt: Three proposals to reform the SDR system Hanan Morsy, Deputy Executive Secretary and Chief Economist of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), shares insights on new proposa...

© Tanger Alliance’s TC3 Terminal at Tanger Med

undeniable asset

Morocco: New phase of development to boost economic growth The recent slowdown of economic growth in Morocco has spurred a change of tack by the government – which means a pivot towards courting the private se...

AHEAD OF THE CURVE?

South Africa: Sasol debt plans improve long-term sustainability Sasol will not have material debt maturities until 2026 – giving the company breathing room amidst a high interest rates environment, says ratings age...