Ethiopia has unveiled its new Digital Ethiopia 2030 Strategy, marking the next phase of the country’s digital transformation following the near-completion of Digital Ethiopia 2025. The initiative aims to expand access to digital services, enhance institutional trust, and build an inclusive, people-centered digital ecosystem that strengthens connectivity and improves service delivery across all sectors.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed emphasized that the new strategy is anchored on expanding electricity and internet access, which he described as foundational enablers of a modern digital economy. The government plans to accelerate electrification and make internet connectivity fully accessible nationwide within the next five years to create equal opportunities for all citizens. The strategy aligns with the Medemer State’s goals to streamline bureaucracy and ensure more efficient public administration.
Government officials highlighted several ambitious targets under the new digital agenda. State Minister for Innovation and Technology Muluken Kere stated that by 2030, 70 percent of the population is expected to be digitally literate, 80 percent of government employees will possess digital skills, and 10 million citizens will undergo digital training. In addition, the government intends to support 5,000 startups and generate 1 million jobs in the digital sector, with the digital economy projected to contribute 12 percent to Ethiopia’s GDP.
The rollout of the Fayda Digital ID remains a key priority, with 30 million citizens already registered, and plans to extend the system to the lowest administrative levels to enable service integration. Progress in the telecommunications sector under Digital Ethiopia 2025 has already increased mobile subscribers to 97 million and internet users to 57 million, with 4G coverage reaching over 1,000 towns. Ethio Telecom forecasts that by 2030, mobile subscribers will reach 128 million and 5G network coverage will extend nationwide, alongside a substantial scale-up of digital payments.
Cybersecurity, e-commerce, and digital governance are also central to the strategy, with plans to modernize trade logistics, digitize import and export services, enhance tax systems, strengthen cloud infrastructure, and establish incident response capabilities. The Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute further outlined objectives to develop a national data authority and advance structured data governance to support decision-making and integrated service delivery.
Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh described Digital Ethiopia 2030 as a transformative step that builds on previous achievements to foster innovation, expand digital infrastructure, and improve access to finance and public services. The strategy will be executed with transparent governance, measurable outcomes, and coordinated stakeholder engagement to achieve sustainable digital transformation across the country.
