Ethiopia Joins the E-Commerce Race with Its First Nationwide Online Market Place

In a bold stride toward digital economic transformation, Ethio Telecom has launched Zemen GEBEYA, Ethiopia’s first-ever national digital marketplace. This groundbreaking platform signals the country’s formal entry into e-commerce on a continental scale, with ambitions to redefine how businesses and consumers interact across Ethiopia’s diverse regions.

“Our legacy on African e-commerce is minimal due to the absence of a national platform,” remarked Frehiwot Tamiru, CEO of Ethio Telecom. “With Ethiopia being the second most populous country in Africa, Zemen GEBEYA is set to position us firmly on the digital commerce map of the continent.”

More than just a transactional space, Zemen GEBEYA is a full-fledged digital infrastructure. It aims to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by offering an inclusive, accessible online environment to scale their operations, reach new markets, and reduce overhead costs. From rural artisans to urban entrepreneurs, the marketplace is designed to democratize commerce and bring traditionally informal sectors into the digital economy.

Zemen GEBEYA’s launch builds on Ethio Telecom’s expansive digital ecosystem. With over 82.5 million telecom subscribers—45.7 million of whom use mobile broadband—and 33 million smartphone users, the groundwork for a thriving e-commerce platform is already in place. telebirr, the company’s mobile money service, boasts 52.5 million users and 7.5 million SuperApp users, having facilitated ETB 4.1 trillion in transactions to date, averaging ETB 7.6 billion daily.

These figures represent more than just technological access—they signal readiness. With 4G available in 835 cities and 5G already rolled out in 25, Ethio Telecom’s infrastructure is primed to support a national e-commerce revolution.

Zemen GEBEYA is offered as a mini app inside the telebirr SuperApp and includes a suite of integrated tools: a merchants’ portal and mobile app, consumer-facing interface, logistics management tools, a dispatcher app, and a system admin portal. This ecosystem is engineered to create smooth, transparent operations for buyers, sellers, and service providers.

Already, 42 businesses and logistics companies have joined the platform, showing early signs of momentum. Sellers can now manage inventories, reach customers directly, access digital payment tools, and benefit from marketing support—all within a centralized system.

Frehiwot emphasizes the platform’s security and credibility: “telebirr has never faced a security issue, and Zemen GEBEYA is built with the same robust infrastructure. Payments are only released to sellers once buyers confirm product satisfaction. Plus, with integration to the revenue authority, electronic tax receipts are recognized and compliant.”

One of the platform’s biggest value propositions is its role in formalizing Ethiopia’s vast, fragmented market system. For small producers, farmers, and artisans often locked into localized trade networks, Zemen GEBEYA opens a digital gateway to national and even global consumers.

The platform aligns with the goals of Digital Ethiopia 2025—promoting financial inclusion, digital literacy, and e-trade readiness. It’s expected to stimulate local production, encourage logistics innovation, and create jobs in both the digital and delivery sectors.

Zemen GEBEYA also promises real benefits for consumers. By cutting out intermediaries and enhancing price transparency, buyers can enjoy broader product access, reliable delivery, and competitive pricing. For underserved rural communities, this could mean access to goods and services once limited to urban centers.

Logistics providers, meanwhile, gain access to data-driven systems that can optimize routes and service quality. Ethio Telecom sees this as a key growth engine for both startups and established firms in the sector.