NAIROBI, Kenya- Safaricom Ethiopia has implemented an average 44pc increase in mobile data tariffs across daily, weekly, and monthly bundles, its most aggressive pricing adjustment since entering the Ethiopian market nearly two years ago, as the operator seeks to reach break-even by March 2027 following a sharp depreciation of the Ethiopian Birr.
The price changes took effect in late December 2024 and were announced by the company as part of measures to stabilise its finances after the local currency lost significant value against the US Dollar, sharply increasing the cost of foreign-denominated expenses.
Daily and Weekly Bundles See the Sharpest Increases
According to Safaricom Ethiopia, daily data bundles were hit hardest, with per-unit costs rising between 34pc and 67pc after the company reduced data allocations in entry-level packages.
The popular daily 1GB bundle, for example, increased in price from 30 Birr to 35 Birr, while the data allocation was cut by more than half, effectively doubling the cost per gigabyte for price-sensitive users.
Weekly bundles recorded even steeper effective increases, with per-unit prices rising by as much as 82pc.
This followed the withdrawal of smaller, lower-priced packages, which were replaced with larger and more expensive options requiring higher upfront spending.
Monthly data plans rose by between 20pc and 67pc depending on volume. Unlimited daily, weekly, and monthly packages increased by 20pc to 25pc, while long-term bundles, including quarterly and half-year plans, rose by about 21pc.
Currency Depreciation Drives Pricing Shift
Safaricom Ethiopia attributed the pricing overhaul to the Ethiopian Birr’s steep depreciation after the government allowed the currency to float freely in mid-2024.
The Birr fell from about ETB 57 per US Dollar in June 2024 to roughly ETB 118.99 by September 2024, before weakening further to over 150 Birr per Dollar by mid-November 2025.
The depreciation created a significant financial imbalance for the operator, as about 85pc of its capital expenditure and 50pc of its operating costs are denominated in foreign currency—mainly US Dollars—while all revenues are earned in local Birr.
Despite these pressures, Safaricom Ethiopia has reported strong operational growth. For the six months ending September 30, 2025, the subsidiary posted a 136pc increase in service revenue to KES 6.2 billion, according to the company’s financial results.
The unit also reduced its net loss by 20.1pc to KES 15.5 billion, signalling early progress toward stabilising its large-scale investment.
Mobile data revenue, the company’s biggest earner, grew by 102.2pc to KES 4.1 billion, while voice revenue surged by 328.5pc to KES 1.4 billion.
This growth was supported by an 83.7pc expansion in the customer base, which now stands at 11.1 million users, underscoring Safaricom Ethiopia’s growing footprint even as it pushes through difficult economic conditions.
