Safaricom Brings More Ethiopians Online and Into the Financial System

Kenya, February 02 2026 - Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia’s latest quarterly performance points to more than commercial success. It highlights how digital connectivity and mobile money are reshaping access to essential services across the country.

In its third-quarter update for the period ending December 31, 2025, the operator reported a sharp rise in customers using voice, data, and mobile financial services, signaling growing participation in Ethiopia’s digital economy. The company’s three-month active customer base climbed to 12.2 million, while one-month active users reached 9.6 million as network coverage and service quality continued to improve.

At the center of this growth is Safaricom’s expanding 4G network, which now reaches 57.1% of the population through more than 3,400 operational sites nationwide. Wider coverage has translated into higher internet usage, with nearly 9.8 million customers actively using mobile data. Average data consumption per user also rose during the quarter, reflecting increased reliance on smartphones for communication, work, learning, and entertainment.

Mobile money has emerged as a key driver of financial inclusion. Active M-PESA users rose sharply to 5.2 million over a three-month period, while transaction volumes and values more than doubled compared with the same quarter last year. Safaricom said the growth reflects rising trust in digital payments and the expanding role of mobile wallets in everyday transactions.

A major boost came from M-PESA’s integration with EthSwitch in October 2025, enabling interoperability with Ethiopia’s national payments system. The connection allows users to move funds between wallets and bank accounts and pay merchants using EthQR codes, helping bridge the gap between formal banking and mobile financial services.

Safaricom Group Chief Executive Officer Peter Ndegwa said the company’s focus in Ethiopia is to support a digitally connected and financially inclusive society. He noted that investments in network infrastructure, affordable smartphones, and digital partnerships are designed to reach Ethiopia’s young and increasingly tech-savvy population.