Balcha Reba, director general of the Ethiopian Communication Authority (Photo: ENA)Addis Abeba – The Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA) has announced a 20-day extension for submitting requests for qualification (RFQ) for the coveted second full-service nationwide telecommunications license. However, the ECA said it has received concerns and requests from several prospective investors to extend the deadline for RFQ submission. The latest announcement has raised concerns about the authority’s ability to execute its plan to grant the much-awaited second telecommunications license by the end of 2023. Only a month ago, Balcha Reba, the Director General of ECA, confidently stated that all the essential groundwork for the second license tender process had been finalized. Having secured one of the two licenses opened to private telecommunication operators in May 2021, Safaricom Ethiopia has emerged as the second telecom provider.

Source: Ethiopian News September 15, 2023 12:46 UTC