Ethiopia and Kenya to Back Ethio Telecom, Safaricom Partnership
By Betegbar Yaregal -December 24, 2025
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) and Kenyan President William Ruto (PhD) have announced full governmental support for strategic joint investments between Ethiopia’s state-owned Ethio Telecom and Kenya’s Safaricom. The agreement was reached during a one-day working visit by President Ruto to Addis Ababa.
In a statement on social media platform X, Prime Minister Abiy said the meeting reflected the deep and historic relations between the two nations. The leaders discussed strengthening bilateral ties and reaffirmed a shared commitment to stability and African-led solutions in the Horn of Africa.
President Ruto, in a separate statement, said the two governments agreed to support Ethio Telecom and Safaricom as they explore joint investment opportunities in regional markets.
“I made a visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where I held fruitful discussions with Prime Minister Abiy. Among other key issues, we agreed to support Ethio Telecom and Safaricom as they explore strategic joint investment opportunities across regional markets, with the full backing of the governments of Kenya and Ethiopia.”
The high-level meeting was also attended by Safaricom Group CEO Peter Ndegwa and Safaricom Ethiopia CEO Wim Vanhelleputte. Their presence has led observers to speculate that the talks may have addressed the competitive challenges faced by Safaricom in the Ethiopian market, where it operates as a major rival to the dominant Ethio Telecom.
