The state owned Ethio-Telecom is preparing to launch the mobile payment system, Tele-birr in the country’s northernmost Tigray region, according to the prominent Addis Ababa based broadsheet newspaper, Ethiopianreporter.
Citing Mesay Wubshet, Chief Communications Officer at Ethio-Telecom, Ethiopianreporter disclosed activities are already underway to start Tele-birr services across cities in Tigray region.
Mesay said 47 telecom stations in Tigray’s capital, Mekelle and 33 telecom stations in the southern Tigray region city of Maychew have restarted operations already.
The Ethio-Telecom Chief Communications Officer further said problems with operations of previously inactive Sim-cards as well as large numbers of Tigray residents losing their mobile phone handsets due to various reasons has been a challenge for the firm since it started rolling out once again telecom services across Tigray last month.
Launched in May 2021, Telebirr, Ethio-Telecom’s flagship mobile payment system is estimated to have more than 25 million customers.
The gradual restart of telecom and other basic services across Tigray comes as the two months anniversary of the Pretoria peace agreement approaches.
Ethiopia has for the past two years been embroiled in a devastating two year old conflict between Ethiopia government allied troops and the fighters loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which left hundreds of thousands dead and millions more displaced and needing urgent humanitarian aid.
