Safaricom Ethiopia has recently announced its partnership with Woda Metals, an Ethiopian company that specializes in producing power transmission towers, telecom towers, cables, galvanization, and steel structures.
In a significant move, Safaricom Ethiopia has acquired 13 out of 68 domestically produced telecom towers from Woda Metals, marking a historic moment for the company as it begins to localize the manufacturing of its infrastructure.
CEO Wim Vanhelleputte expressed optimism about the partnership, stating that the quality and cost-effectiveness of the locally produced towers will enhance the network’s quality and efficiency. The move is expected to support Safaricom Ethiopia’s goal of increasing its network quality and user base, which currently stands at 4.4 million.
As of December 31, 2023, Safaricom Ethiopia had deployed 2,242 base stations in 33 cities, with a population coverage of 33%. The company’s latest objective, as outlined in its full-year 2023/2024 results presentation, is to further enhance connectivity quality as it expands its network.
Additionally, Woda Metal’s CEO, Steven Cui, expressed pride in being the first local company to supply telecom towers to Safaricom Ethiopia. This collaboration signifies a significant step towards localizing the production of critical telecom infrastructure in Ethiopia.
