Anwar Soussa, who has served as CEO of Safaricom Ethiopia, has decided to leave the company.
The Chief Executive Officer began working with Safaricom in August 2021 but has now resigned.
Anwar will leave the company at the end of July, bringing to a close his tenure there that spanned two years.
The parent firm of Safaricom Ethiopia, Safaricom (Kenya), has begun preparations to enter the Ethiopian market as early as the year 2020. In 2021, when Safaricom launched test telecom programmes alongside its partners Vodacom Group, Sumitomo Corporation, and CDC Group under the collective name Global Partnership for Ethiopia (GPE), the Ethiopian government accepted the offer.
The launch costs $850 million to the consortium.
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Achievements of Safaricom under Anwar’s administration
In the months that followed, Safaricom Ethiopia got its house in order by gradually enrolling users while also employing workers, establishing network equipment such as data centres, and generally getting everything in order. October 2022 marked the official beginning of commercial operations for the company.
After implementing digital biometrics and electronic know-your-customer (e-KYC) processes at more than 5,000 sites, the company has since simplified the process of onboarding new customers. It is able to serve locals in up to five different languages. It has also prioritised being a young brand that offers internet services, voice services, SMS services, and home 4G Wi-Fi connectivity.
Safaricom Ethiopia had a subscriber base of about 4 million by the end of the fiscal year 2022/2023, with approximately 2.1 million actively using their services. The company has an objective of reaching 10 million customers by the end of the fiscal year 2024.
The next CEO?
These clients were responsible for generating a total revenue of KES 562.4 million, which is equivalent to more than $4 million. Of this total, mobile data contributed 63%, voice services accounted for 24%, and the remaining money was created through messaging and mobile services.
Safaricom has not yet disclosed the individual who would assume responsibility for this position.
The statement released by Safaricom
The operator, in a statement that was distributed by Safaricom, said, “Anwar Soussa, chief executive officer of Safaricom Ethiopia, will be leaving the business effective 31st July 2023 once his secondment comes to an end. Under Anwar’s leadership, the telco also secured a mobile financial services licence, paving the way for the launch of M-PESA services.
Our heartfelt gratitude to Anwar for his leadership and contributions to Safaricom Ethiopia. Throughout his tenure, he has demonstrated unwavering passion and commitment, which have played a crucial role in our achievements thus far. We will announce Anwar’s successor in due course.”
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About Safaricom
“STEP” stands for Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia PLC, and it is a purpose-driven technology and communication company that is dedicated to contributing to Ethiopia’s digital transformation and inclusion agenda.
Since the official opening of its first shop in Ethiopia, mobile network operator Safaricom has been there for more than seven months. There is undeniable evidence that the corporation has expanded since it has successfully brought slightly more than 3 million users onto its networks. In addition to this, Safaricom is working on bringing mobile money services known as M-PESA to the country.
An SPV known as Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia P.L.C., formerly known as Global Partnership for Ethiopia BV, was recently granted a licence to offer telecommunications services in Ethiopia in exchange for a licence fee of 850 million United States dollars. Due to the size of this fee, it became the largest foreign direct investment ever made into Ethiopia.
Addis Ababa, which is located in Ethiopia, is the location of the company’s headquarters.