Ethio Telecom Combines Reforestation with Renewable Telecom Infrastructure Expansion

Ethio telecom  has launched the eighth edition of its nationwide Green Legacy campaign, planting 250,000 seedlings across Ethiopia as part of a broader sustainability strategy that combines environmental conservation with investments in renewable-powered telecommunications infrastructure and green digital technologies.

The campaign was launched simultaneously in Addis Ababa and the operator’s 18 regional offices under Ethiopia’s national “Planting Hope” initiative and Ethio telecom’s “For a Green Ethiopia” campaign. More than 3,500 employees and partners participated in the nationwide tree-planting exercise.

Beyond reforestation, the initiative forms part of Ethio telecom’s Next Horizon: Digital & Beyond 2028 Strategy, which integrates digital transformation with environmental sustainability through its Green Operator programme. The strategy focuses on expanding renewable energy use, improving network energy efficiency, and deploying low-carbon technologies across the company’s operations.

As part of these efforts, Ethio telecom has commissioned 190 fully solar-powered telecom sites, deployed 867 hybrid solar-and-battery power systems, and installed 1,114 lithium-ion battery storage units, reducing diesel generator operating time by up to 40% across its network.

During the last financial year, the operator added 215 new solar-powered sites and modernised 774 existing base stations, increasing its renewable energy generation capacity by 12.72 MW and bringing its total installed solar capacity to 39.72 MW. The investments are intended to improve network sustainability while expanding connectivity to rural and off-grid communities.

The company is also advancing sustainable transportation through its electric vehicle charging network. Since launching the service in February 2025, Ethio telecom has deployed nine ultra-fast EV charging stations capable of charging 108 vehicles simultaneously.

Between February 2025 and July 2026, the charging network recorded more than 481,000 charging sessions, delivering 11.2 million kilowatt-hours of electricity. According to the company, the initiative helped avoid approximately 15.4 million kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions, an impact equivalent to the carbon sequestration capacity of more than 76,000 trees.

Ethio telecom has also continued to expand its environmental restoration programme. Over the past seven years, the operator has planted more than 4.6 million seedlings across 889 locations, created temporary employment for more than 24,800 people, and achieved an average seedling survival rate of 82.7%.

The eighth-round Green Legacy campaign is expected to generate an additional 2,000 temporary jobs through seedling planting, maintenance, and protection activities. Ethio telecom has allocated more than ETB 42.4 million to this year’s programme, bringing its cumulative investment in environmental protection and green development to over ETB 159.9 million.

The company’s sustainability efforts have also received industry recognition. Ethio telecom has twice been named among the Brand Africa 100 Most Admired Ethiopian Brands Doing Good for Society and the Environment and received the Ethiopian Green Award 2025 from the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority for its contribution to the country’s green development agenda.

Now in its 132nd year of operation, Ethio telecom said it will continue integrating sustainability into its network expansion, digital infrastructure development, and community initiatives as it supports Ethiopia’s digital transformation and climate objectives.