• Ethio Telecom teams up with Bankai Group to improve international call quality

• The operator targets 163.7 billion birrs ($3.73 billion) in revenue for 2024/2025

• Foreign exchange earnings goal set at $282.85 million, with $72.6 million already earned

Ethio Telecom has partnered with telecom solutions provider Bankai Group to enhance the quality of international voice traffic to Ethiopia. The partnership, effective since June 1, is expected to improve call quality and help increase the company’s international revenue and foreign currency earnings.

The agreement covers major international corridors but excludes traffic from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Jordan, Somalia, and Djibouti. Ethio Telecom says the partnership will deliver high-performance, reliable, and fraud-resistant voice services.

For the 2024/2025 fiscal year, the state-owned operator has identified international services as a key revenue driver. It aims to earn 163.7 billion birrs ($3.73 billion) and generate $282.85 million in foreign exchange through expanded partnerships and competitive service offerings. In the first half of the year, it earned $72.6 million in foreign currency, with $67.36 million from international services.

Ethio Telecom is also working with Visa to launch money transfer services between Ethiopia and international destinations. However, the exclusion of high-traffic countries like Saudi Arabia (52.5 million mobile subscribers), the UAE (21 million), and Sudan (34.7 million) may limit growth. Meanwhile, the growing use of free internet-based apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Telegram continues to reduce reliance on traditional international calls.