Afreximbank and Ethio Telecom Discuss Strategic Funding for Digital Infrastructure Growth
A key focus of the talks was alignment between Afreximbank’s continental financing capacity and Ethio telecom’s “Next Horizon: Digital and Beyond 2028” strategy.
Ethio telecom has announced a strategic engagement with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) aimed at strengthening financing cooperation to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation and support Ethiopia’s long-term digital economy ambitions.
The meeting, held at Ethio telecom headquarters, brought together senior executives from African Export-Import Bank, including its newly appointed Regional Director and Head of Mission for East Africa, Humphrey Nwugo. The engagement served both as a formal introduction and a platform to explore potential long-term strategic financing partnerships.
During the discussions, Ethio telecom presented its transformation journey, highlighting strong operational and financial performance, sustained market leadership, and its expanding digital ecosystem. The company also underscored its central role in advancing Ethiopia’s national digital transformation agenda and broader socio-economic development objectives.
A key focus of the talks was alignment between Afreximbank’s continental financing capacity and Ethio telecom’s “Next Horizon: Digital and Beyond 2028” strategy. Ethio telecom showcased its evolution from a traditional telecom operator into a regional technology-driven enterprise, citing the rapid growth of its digital platforms and services, including telebirr, Zemen Gebeya, TeleStream, cloud solutions, and Z-nexus.
Afreximbank representatives reportedly expressed strong interest in supporting Ethio telecom’s expansion plans, noting the company’s financial strength, leadership position, and regional ambitions. Both institutions indicated readiness to explore tailored financing solutions aimed at strengthening digital infrastructure, enabling enterprise transformation, and supporting sustainable economic growth across Africa.
The engagement marks a significant step toward deeper collaboration between telecom and development finance institutions, reinforcing efforts to build a more connected and inclusive African digital economy.
