By: Tewodros Balcha
Ethio telecom
has launched the eighth round of its nationwide Green Legacy campaign, planting
250,000 additional seedlings across Ethiopia while highlighting a
sustainability strategy that extends far beyond corporate tree planting to
encompass renewable-powered telecommunications infrastructure, electric
mobility and energy-efficient digital networks.
The initiative,
launched simultaneously across Addis Ababa and the operator's 18 regional
offices under Ethiopia's national "Planting Hope" campaign and Ethio
telecom's corporate theme "For a Green Ethiopia," brought together
more than 3,500 employees and partners in one of the company's largest annual
environmental programmes.
While the
nationwide reforestation campaign serves as the public face of the initiative,
it forms part of a broader sustainability strategy integrated into Ethio
telecom's three-year Next Horizon: Digital & Beyond 2028 Strategy, which
combines digital transformation with environmental stewardship and green
infrastructure development.
The operator
said its Green Operator strategy is helping accelerate Ethiopia's transition
toward a greener digital economy through investments in renewable energy,
energy-efficient network infrastructure and low-carbon technologies.
According to
the company, it has now commissioned 190 fully solar-powered telecom sites,
deployed 867 hybrid solar-and-battery power systems and installed 1,114
lithium-ion battery storage units, reducing diesel generator operating time by
up to 40 percent across its nationwide network.
During the past
financial year alone, Ethio telecom commissioned 215 new solar-powered sites
while modernising 774 existing stations, adding 12.72 megawatts of renewable
generation capacity and increasing its total installed solar capacity to 39.72
megawatts. The expansion supports cleaner network operations while improving
connectivity in rural and off-grid communities.
The company's
sustainability strategy also extends to green mobility. Since launching its
electric vehicle charging service in February 2025, Ethio telecom has deployed
nine ultra-fast EV charging stations capable of charging 108 vehicles
simultaneously. Between February 2025 and July 2026, the network facilitated
more than 481,000 charging sessions, delivering 11.2 million kilowatt-hours of
electricity and helping avoid approximately 15.4 million kilograms of carbon
dioxide emissions—an environmental impact the company says is equivalent to the
carbon sequestration capacity of more than 76,000 trees.
Alongside
technological investments, Ethio telecom continues expanding one of Ethiopia's
largest corporate environmental restoration programmes. Over the past seven
years, the operator has planted more than 4.6 million seedlings across 889
locations, creating temporary employment for over 24,800 people while achieving
an average 82.7 percent seedling survival rate.
The
eighth-round campaign is expected to create an additional 2,000 temporary jobs
through seedling planting, nurturing and protection activities. The company has
allocated more than 42.4 million Ethiopian birr for this year's programme,
bringing cumulative investment in environmental protection and green
development to over 159.9 million birr.Ethio telecom's environmental
initiatives have received increasing recognition beyond Ethiopia. The operator
has twice received the Brand Africa 100 "Most Admired Ethiopian Brand
Doing Good for Society and the Environment" award and was also honoured
with the Ethiopian Green Award 2025 by the Ethiopian Environmental Protection
Authority for its leadership in advancing the country's green development
agenda.
Now in its
132nd year of operation, Ethio telecom says it will continue embedding
sustainability into network expansion, digital infrastructure and community
development as it advances Ethiopia's digital transformation while supporting
national climate and environmental objectives.
