(Ecofin Agency) - Ethiopia's incumbent telecom operator -Ethio Telecom- is seeking to strengthen its position on the national telecom market amid increasing competition. Its sole competitor currently covers 40% of the population.

Last week, the state-owned Ethiopian telecommunications company, Ethio Telecom, announced the expansion of its 4G internet service to an additional 77 cities across Ethiopia, bringing the total number of covered Ethiopian cities to 417.

"Our company is committed to continuously expanding various infrastructures and deploying state-of-the-art technologies to simplify daily life of the citizens and modernize work systems, thereby driving the digital economy and promoting the multifaceted development of the nation," the company said in a press release.

This acceleration in 4G network coverage expansion is expected to reach more people and bolster Ethio Telecom's leading position amidst heightened competition. The historic operator shares the market with private telecom operator Safaricom Ethiopia since October 2022, with the government planning to introduce a second private operator in the country.

As of December 31, 2023, Ethio Telecom boasted 74.6 million customers, including 36.4 million internet subscribers. By March 31, 2023, Safaricom Ethiopia had 9.4 million mobile services subscribers, covering approximately 40% of the Ethiopian population estimated at 123.4 million by the World Bank.