Ethio Telecom Appoints Tariku Demissie as Interim CEO Amid Digital Expansion
s. Under its Next Horizon: Digital & Beyond 2028 strategy, the company aims to grow its customer base and strengthen its position across these businesses.
Ethio Telecom has appointed Tariku Demissie, its current chief technology officer, as interim chief executive following the departure of former CEO Frehiwot Tamru, who moved to Ethiopia’s Ministry of Innovation and Technology after a cabinet announcement on October 8.
Demissie has spent 14 years at Ethio Telecom, including nine years in progressively senior technical roles. His experience also covers project management and business-partner management, supported by an academic background in electrical engineering.
His appointment comes as the state-owned operator expands beyond traditional telecommunications into digital financial services, enterprise technology and digital platforms. Under its Next Horizon: Digital & Beyond 2028 strategy, the company aims to grow its customer base and strengthen its position across these businesses.
Ethio Telecom reported revenue of 215.82 billion birr for the 2025/26 fiscal year, representing a 33.2% increase from the previous year. Its total customer base reached 90.12 million, while transactions through its mobile-money platform, telebirr, recorded a value of 4.19 trillion birr.
Network development also remains central to the company’s strategy. During the fiscal year, Ethio Telecom reported 82.23% population coverage for 4G services and commercial 5G availability in 33 cities.
The operator is navigating a changing telecommunications market following the entry of private-sector competition and its listing on the Ethiopian Securities Exchange. Demissie’s appointment comes as the company continues its broader transformation from a traditional telecommunications operator into a technology-focused business.
