eSIM and SIM cards in Ethiopia

The networks

• Ethio telecom is the state operator and has by far the wider coverage.
• Safaricom Ethiopia entered the market as the second operator and is competitive in the cities.
• Ethio telecom publishes an International Visitors Plan, a tariff aimed specifically at arriving foreigners, which is the thing to ask for at the airport counter.

The shutdowns

• The authorities may close down networks with no notice, which the FCDO states plainly. It has happened for exams, for security operations and during unrest, and it has lasted weeks in some regions.
• This is the reason to download offline maps, tickets and documents before you fly, rather than the usual reason.
• A foreign roaming eSIM does not help. A network shutdown takes the network down, not your subscription.

Practical

• Bring your passport to register a SIM.
• Wi-Fi in hotels is common in Addis and slow. Treat mobile data as the primary connection and the hotel as the backup, not the other way round.