Getting online in Ethiopia is easier than it used to be. Until 2022 there was only one mobile operator. Now there are two, both sell bundles made for visitors, and both have counters at Bole International Airport. This guide explains which one to pick, what to bring, and when an international eSIM makes more sense.

Which mobile networks are there in Ethiopia?

Ethio Telecom is the state-owned operator and was the only provider for decades. It reported just over 90 million customers in its 2025/26 results, published in July 2026, and it has by far the widest network outside the capital.

Safaricom Ethiopia is the newer private operator, part of the group behind Safaricom in Kenya. It started service in 2022. By May 2025 it reported 4G coverage for about half the population, and its active customer base reached 10 million in July 2025.

Ethiopia's country code is +251.

Ethio Telecom or Safaricom: which is better for travellers?

If you are staying mainly in Addis Ababa, either network is usually fine. If you are heading out of the capital, travellers and guides consistently point to Ethio Telecom as the safer bet, simply because its network reaches far more towns.

Some visitors carry both. A dual-SIM or eSIM-capable phone lets you keep one line from each operator, which helps when one network is weak or down in a particular area.

What are the visitor bundles?

Both operators publish tourist plans on their own websites. Ethio Telecom calls its range the International Visitors Plan: weekly, two-week and monthly packages combining data, calls, SMS and some airtime (the longer ones add international minutes), plus cheaper data-only options. It says the SIM card is included in the package price. Safaricom Ethiopia lists a Visitor Plan with weekly and monthly bundles of data, minutes, SMS and airtime.

Both price these bundles in US dollars or euros. Operators change bundles often, so check ethiotelecom.et and safaricom.et for the current list before you land rather than relying on figures you see in older blogs.

How do you buy a SIM at Bole airport?

1. Clear immigration and customs first. Ethio Telecom and Safaricom both have shops in the arrivals hall.
2. Have your passport ready. Every SIM must be registered in the buyer's name, and visitors register with their passport. Staff normally handle the registration for you.
3. Choose a visitor bundle. Tell staff how long you are staying and whether you need calls or just data.
4. Let staff activate it. It is usually activated on the spot. Test data and a call before you walk away.
5. Arriving late at night? A 2026 traveller guide reports that both shops open for all arriving international flights, and that you can pay by international card. If a shop is ever closed, the operators' shops in the city are the fallback, and hotel Wi-Fi will cover you until then.

Buy only from the official operator counters or shops. A SIM sold informally and registered to someone else's name is not tied to you, and could be deactivated.

Can you get a local eSIM in Ethiopia?

Yes, both operators offer eSIMs, but through their shops or agents rather than online.

• Ethio Telecom says you subscribe at one of its service centres, where you scan a QR code to install the eSIM. Its site lists a small one-off eSIM fee in birr, and it has offered eSIM since 2022.
• Safaricom Ethiopia launched eSIM in July 2025. Activation is done in store or through agents, with the QR code sent by WhatsApp or email.

Neither operator's website spells out eSIM rules for short-stay visitors. One 2026 traveller guide reports that the airport shops offer eSIMs as well as physical SIMs, so ask at the counter and bring your passport. Your phone also needs to be unlocked and eSIM-capable.

Should you use an international travel eSIM instead?

International eSIM apps sell data-only plans for Ethiopia that you install before departure. They ride on one of the two local networks: for example, Airalo's Ethiopia plan lists Safaricom as its network, and one 2026 guide says most travel eSIMs for Ethiopia use Safaricom. The advantages are that you have data the moment you land and you skip the registration queue.

The trade-offs: you usually get no Ethiopian phone number, which matters if hotels, drivers or restaurants want to call you, and the price per gigabyte is generally higher than a local visitor bundle. Check which local network your plan uses, because that decides your coverage outside Addis.

What else should you know about staying connected?

• Unlock your phone before you travel. A phone locked to your home carrier will not accept an Ethiopian SIM.
• Coverage drops outside towns. Download offline maps and anything important before long drives.
• Networks can be shut down. The US Embassy said on 25 September 2026 that it was aware of reports that internet and phone connectivity had been suspended in Tigray, and the UK warns networks may be closed without notice. See our guide on internet shutdowns for how to prepare.
• Airport counters can take foreign cash. The National Bank of Ethiopia's 2024 foreign exchange directive lists telecom services inside the airport selling SIM cards and airtime to tourists among the few businesses eligible to accept foreign cash. Elsewhere, you top up in birr.