News - Afrikan Heroes

Prime Minister Abiy of Ethiopia Promises to Unite Oromo parties for Next Year’s Elections

October 7, 2019

The Ethiopian Prime Minister has promised to work assiduously towards uniting all the political parties and groups in the country’s Oromo region in preparation for next year’s elections. The Prime Minister said that it is time for political groups in the region to come together for the good of the region and the country at large. Abiy who incidentally is the first Prime Minister from the Oromo Region in recent times noted that the political parties in his home region should work together to serve the Oromo people.

A representative of the Oromo Democratic Party (ODP), the Prime Minister said that the time when political parties work against each other should come to an end, thus the need to embrace unity and progress. Abiy ascension to power has to a large extent helped to calm frayed nerves in the region because Oromia, which is the largest and most populous regional state in Ethiopia was for some years the scene of demonstrations, riots and incidents that led to deaths of both security officials and civilians, as well as massive displacements.

As part of his efforts to deliver a credible election in 2020, his party has been engaging in political horse trading and building of alliances with other parties that led anti-government protests three years ago. The most recent agreements for collaboration were signed by the Prime Minister on behalf of his Oromo Democratic Party, the Oromo Federalist Congress led by Prof Merea Gudina, and Oromo Liberation Front led by Dauwd Ibsa. All leaders pledged to work towards complementing each other’s efforts.

The 2020 elections will be the first vote after Abiy began his sweeping reforms aimed at opening the country’s political and democratic space. Abiy has pledged to ensure that the vote is free, fair and credible and has stated publicly that he will handover power if the ruling Ethiopia Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front, EPRDF, lost.

He has held talks with registered opposition groups and nominated a new elections chief to undertake reforms of the electoral body in the lead up to the polls. Birtukan Mideksa, a former judge and political dissident has been praised as being a right fit for the job.

The ruling bloc in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, the Oromo Democratic Party (ODP) has continued building political alliances with competing parties ahead of elections slated for 2020. According to the Party’s Spokesperson Taye Dendea, the party was preparing to enter talks with over ten parties that shared a similar political agenda and plan of action.

Dendea added that further talks were being held with the Oromo Liberation Front, an ex-rebel group that returned from Eritrea after a peace deal was signed between the two countries in July this year. ODP led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed recently agreed a deal with the Oromo Democratic Front, ODF, led by Lencho Leta. The merger was announced in late November after a meeting between Leta and Oromia region president Lemma Megerssa.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry.

SME’s Are Key to Africa’s Economic Prosperity

If the African continent is to overcome poverty and make reasonable development strides, policy makers across the 55 countries or at least the major regional economic power houses should come up with policies that seek to engender and promote small and medium scale enterprises(SME’s). This was the observation of experts who deliberated on Africa’s development at the ongoing Nigeria Economic Summit taking place in Abuja, Nigeria.

The analysts who spoke with this Correspondent pointed out that with SMEs being responsible for an estimated 77% of jobs in Africa and as much as half of GDP in some countries, it should be the engine of economic growth for the continent, thus the need for governments to adopt a more proactive growth strategy to engender the sector and protect those operating within that sector.

They noted that SMEs are engines of global economic and employment growth as the World Bank estimates that SMEs are responsible for 77% of all jobs in Africa and as much as half of the GDP in some countries. It follows then that SMEs will help fill the gaps in the growing global workforce and generate much-needed employment, particularly in emerging economies. And this development is being helped by the growth of the information communication technology across the continent. Internet penetration is playing a very decisive role in causing disruptions in traditional businesses opening up competition for the SME’s.

This is because global trade is increasingly being driven by smaller, more agile businesses. An entrepreneur with a great idea, for example, can market on social media and implement digital or e-commerce solutions to deliver their products and services to customers anywhere in Africa or the world. And digital disruption is at the heart of this renewed energy sweeping through the African SME landscape — driving product and customer service innovation, and a sense of self-belief that no challenge, whether geographic or infrastructural, is insurmountable.

Importantly, Africa has the right ingredients for global success. Its population of about 1.2-billion people is projected to double over the next 30 years, making it an exception in a world of declining population growth. Additionally, Africa will soon be the region in the world urbanising the fastest. The continent has also proven to be an innovator and early adopter of all things digital and mobile. Countries across Africa have shown a great appetite for digital and mobile solutions that leapfrog traditional challenges and barriers to entry such as cost and infrastructure.

Experts are of the view that young people are largely the driving force behind this new position of Africa on the global stage. They are predicted to make up 50% of the continent’s population by 2050 — and combined with rapid technological changes and continued digital disruption; it is inevitable that the way people do business and communicate will undergo significant change.

With these two potent weapons; a very high youth population, and fast growing internet penetration, Africa should have the world as its Oyster, says Dr. Abel Adelakun. Dr. Adelakun noted that understanding this evolving environment provides extensive opportunities to change how people, companies and even economies work through the disruptive power of technology, allowing SMEs in particular the opportunity to expand their footprints and act as the drivers of growth and development.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry.

Togo records the highest proportion of female inventors who applied for patents in Africa and the world, between 1998 and 2017

Worldwide, Togo recorded the highest proportion of female inventors who applied for a patent between 1998 and 2017, 57.14% exactly. This was revealed in a recent study from the UK’s intellectual property office.

The study which assessed 120 countries explored gender profiles in worldwide patenting.

After Togo follows Uganda where the proportion of female inventors in patent applications stood at 44.55% over the period.

The US and the UK are far behind respectively ranked 110th and 120th with the figure standing at 10.04% and 9.44%.

While countries like Togo and Uganda have recorded such astounding performances, data shows that the overwhelming majority of patents are filed by men. Indeed, last year, female inventors were only associated with 13.07% of all global patent applications.

Charles Rapulu Udoh

Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based Lawyer with special focus on Business Law, Intellectual Property Rights, Entertainment and Technology Law. He is also an award-winning writer. Working for notable organizations so far has exposed him to some of industry best practices in business, finance strategies, law, dispute resolution, and data analytics both in Nigeria and across the world

Sierra Leone Launches Task Force to Tackle Human Trafficking

October 6, 2019

The growing trend of human trafficking which has become pervasive across the West Africa sub-region is attracting attention from the Sierra Leonean government as the country is fast becoming notorious as a source, transit, and destination country for thousands of children and women trafficked for forced labour and sexual exploitation every year. Officials say that though there is no reliable database to accurately measure the scope of the phenomenon in the country, it is believed to be affecting mostly children who are taken from their homes and forced to beg on the streets, or work in homes as houseboys, in mines or in plantations.

Add to this, there are cases of young Sierra Leonean women and girls who are scammed into paying hefty sums of money for fake employment offers in foreign countries – in the Gulf for instance – only to be coerced into modern slavery or sexual exploitation. Three years after the end of the country’s civil war which cost more than 50,000 lives and set the ground to human trafficking networks, Sierra Leone passed the Anti-Human Trafficking Act, thus recognizing the phenomenon as a major national issue. A National Task Force on Human Trafficking was established with the responsibility to coordinate the implementation of this Act, especially with regard to the enforcement of the law against trafficking.

But in 2017, only 9 per cent of the victims of trafficking identified by the Sierra Leone Ministry for Social Welfare, Gender and Children Affairs (MSWGCA) came from the Western Urban District where Freetown is located. A Senior Social Welfare Officer for Human Trafficking at the MSWGCA said criminal cases rely on victim testimonies, but this can be difficult to access since the Task Force is located in Freetown and most victims come from far away provinces. “Because victims of trafficking often cannot afford the expensive trip from their district to the capital to testify or present evidence, their cases are closed,” the officer added.

Last week, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) supported the MSWGCA in the decentralisation of the National Task Force in 14 of Sierra Leone’s districts to increase victims’ and potential victims’ access to information, protection and justice mechanisms, and avoid procedural delays related to prosecuting traffickers.

The new district task forces will be co-chaired by the MSWGCA and the Office of National Security (ONS), and composed of traditional and religious authorities, the police’s Family Support Unit, youth committees, motor bikers’ union, teachers’ guild and radio journalists. “Our aim is to bring the lifesaving services of the Task Force closer to the populations by bringing together key community members,” said Mangeh Sesay, National Project Officer for IOM Sierra Leone.

Through monthly meetings, it is expected that these new district task forces will contribute to collecting more data and testimonies to assess the scope of human trafficking in the country. In the future, task force members will also be trained in identifying, referring and providing immediate assistance to victims of trafficking.

IOM’s counter-trafficking activities in Sierra Leone are implemented in the framework of the Africa Regional Migration Programme funded by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM).

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry.

Cameroon Announces Peace Breakthrough with Opposition Leaders

The government of Cameroon has announced it has achieved a significant breakthrough in its quest for dialogue with the opposition figures which led to the Military Court in Yaoundé military ordering for the release of Maurice Kamto, and all other opponents being held alongside him. This decision to release the opposition figures came after President Paul Biya demanded an end to the legal proceedings against them.

Sources quoting the President of the Military Court say that the court shall acknowledge the Prosecutor’s Office, record the stay of proceedings and order their release if they are not detained for anything other than what they are accused of. The over 102 detainees will be released after administrative formalities necessary for their release, the source said.

Mr. Kamto has been detained for close to a year after he was arrested with hundreds of his supporters following peaceful demonstrations organized to protest against the results of the last presidential election in Cameroon in which President Paul Biya was once again declared winner. Mr. Kamto and more than 90 of his supporters had since been prosecuted by the military justice system, including a charge of “insurrection”, a crime punishable by the death penalty, even though observers say that such a crime was no longer applied in Cameroon. Their trial began on 6 September and was supposed to resume last week until the decision from President Biya yesterday.

Mr. Biya had announced Friday evening through a tweet that he would stop the proceedings against “some” opposition leaders, including those from the MRC, without specifying whether Mr. Kamto was concerned. President Biya’s announcement came a few hours after the conclusion of the major national dialogue convened to try to put an end to the bloody separatist conflict in the country’s two English-speaking regions.

In addition to Mr. Kamto, other personalities whose release has been ordered by the court are former economic adviser to President Biya Christian Penda Ekoka, the charismatic Cameroonian lawyer Michèle Ndoki, and the famous rapper Valsero, known for his texts critical of the government.

The detainees and activists are all members of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), received warm applause from the people as they were chanting “Kamto, our president, the people have chosen you”. A refrain regularly chanted by his supporters since the re-election of Paul Biya, 86 years old, 37 of whom were in power, to the 2018 presidential election, whose results the MRC contests, considering that their candidate Kamto, who came second, had won it.

The day before, the President had already announced the end of the prosecutions and the release of 333 people arrested in connection with this crisis. Since the beginning of the year, international pressure on Yaoundé to demand a resolution of the crisis in the English-speaking West and to demand Mr. Kamto’s release has intensified.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry.

South Africa, Angola, Senegal and Equatorial Guinea Set to Launch Investment reports on Oil and Gas

Four African countries are set to launch investment reports on their oil and gas sector with aim to attract the right investors and quality investment in their emerging petroleum industry. Aside Angola and Equatorial Guinea, South Africa and Senegal, being new comers in the industry want to leverage on the knowhow of the traditional oil giants in the continent to promote their oil industry. The reports will be contained in the Africa Oil & Power’s (AOP) Africa Energy Series (AES) reports set for launching at the 2019 AOP conference which comes up from 9th to 11th of October, in Cape Town South Africa.

Nelisiwe Magubane, Chairman, Matleng Energy Solutions

It is expected that ministers from South Africa, Senegal, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea will present the country-specific investment reports throughout the three-day conference; all delegates attending AOP 2019 will receive a copy of the AES reports says Nelisiwe Magubane, Chairman, Matleng Energy Solutions. Other organizations that will participate at the event are Power Africa Increasing Electricity Access, Gas Mega Hub Equatorial Guinea, Standard Bank Mozambique LNG FID. Moreso Adewale Fayemi, Managing Director, Total E&P South Africa will receive the Big Five Energy awards at the event.

The Africa Oil & Power’s (AOP) Africa Energy Series (AES) investment reports provides a broad outlook on the energy sectors of South Africa, Angola, Senegal and Equatorial Guinea, the AES investment reports are a compilation of resources, articles and interviews with key industry players examining the potential and challenges in each country’s petroleum industry.

The investment reports are a vital resource for investors entering or expanding their presence in the continent’s energy sector. Covering both macro and micro-dynamics, the AES reports are one of the few holistic and informed resources available for an otherwise information scarce industry. H.E. Gwede Mantashe, South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, will launch the South Africa report on the first day of the AOP conference, followed by H.E. Mouhamadou Makhtar Cisse, Senegal’s Minister of Petroleum and Energy who will present the report on Senegal, which has been endorsed by H.E Macky Sall, President of Senegal as “the official publication documenting the immense investment opportunities within our oil and gas sector and within our country.”

Showcasing the country’s energy industry, the AES: Angola report will be launched on the second day of the three-day conference. Endorsing the report, the country’s President H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço said: “At a time when our country stands resolute in its efforts to attract investment and promote partnership in all segments of the energy value chain, it has never been more critical to showcase the vision that our country has for its petroleum and gas industry to the rest of the world,”

Adding that, “I am honored to present the Africa Energy Series: Angola 2019 report as an official publication exploring the past achievements, future endeavors and untold investment opportunities present in our ever-growing oil and gas industry.”

H.E. Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons of Equatorial Guinea will present the AES: Equatorial Guinea 2019 report, which has been embraced by the country’s President, H.E. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo as a means to honor the contributions of individuals, organizations, government and the private sector who have remained committed to the country’s development.

“I am delighted to present the Africa Energy Series: Equatorial Guinea 2019 report as the official publication documenting the Year Of Energy and detailing the oil and gas achievements of this country,” said President Mbasogo, while endorsing the country’s second AES investment report. The conference will be opened by keynote speakers H.E. Macky Sall, President of Senegal; Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy of South Africa, H.E. Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons of Equatorial Guinea, H.E. Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, and NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry.

Thomas Cook back in business in Mauritius

October 5, 2019

Thomas Cook India Group (TCIL) is in a state of panic since this company is independent of Thomas Cook UK and backed by Fairfax Financial Holdings (Fairfax), a Canada based multinational. It makes the Indian company a completely different entity since August 2012, The only common element is the usage of the brand name for which TCIL holds an exclusive brand license covering the regions of India, Sri Lanka, and Mauritius until the end of 2024.

Post transfer of its entire stake in TCIL to Fairfax, Thomas Cook PLC in the UK ceased to be the promoter of Thomas Cook India from August 2012 and since then, Thomas Cook UK has had no financial or business stake in Thomas Cook India.

The last seven years have been fruitful for Thomas Cook India, as it continues to grow and build a legacy as an independent entity with presence across 29 countries across 5 continents, including Mauritius making it one of the largest travel companies in the Asia Pacific region.

India’s S&P Company — CRISIL’s credit bulletin reflects that the ratings of Thomas Cook India remain unaffected from the bankruptcy of Thomas Cook PLC in the UK and Europe; Thomas Cook India’s dominant position in the foreign exchange business and strong brand equity in travel-related services, a comfortable capital structure, and adequate liquidity.

Mr. Madhavan Menon, Chairman & Managing Director, Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. (TCIL), reiterated, “In light of media reports regarding the collapse of Thomas Cook PLC in the UK and Europe, it is important to reiterate that it is business as usual for Thomas Cook India which is a completely independent entity, acquired by Canada based Fairfax Financial Holdings in August 2012 from Thomas Cook PLC in the UK. The collapse of the Thomas Cook Group in the UK and Europe has no impact whatsoever in terms of ownership, business, people, technology or processes to Thomas Cook India.”

Charles Rapulu Udoh

Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based Lawyer with special focus on Business Law, Intellectual Property Rights, Entertainment and Technology Law. He is also an award-winning writer. Working for notable organizations so far has exposed him to some of industry best practices in business, finance strategies, law, dispute resolution, and data analytics both in Nigeria and across the world

SportPesa lays off 453 after closing Kenyan operations

SportPesa has announced that it has made its 453 Kenyan employees redundant after closing its operations in the country, as it urged the country’s authorities to repeal the 20% excise tax rate on all stakes that caused it to withdraw from the market.

The operator had been in the midst of a long dispute with Kenyan operators, centred on a different tax, since July, but this appeared to be approaching an end after what a SportPesa spokesperson described as “positive discussions with the Kenyan Revenue Authority” in late August.

However, On 19 September, the Kenyan Parliament’s Finance Committee proposed a new 20% excise tax rate on betting stakes in the 2019/20 budget, an increase from the 10% stake which the treasury proposed in June.

On 25 September, MPs voted the budget through, including the 20% tax. SportPesa said in a statement that it would not operate in the country until the rate is changed.

The company confirmed to iGaming Business today (4 October) that the closure of its business meant that all of its employees in Kenya would be laid off.

“We regretfully closed our operations in Kenya as a result of a long-running hostile regulatory and taxation environment in the country,” a SportPesa spokesperson said. “This included a recent decision by the Kenyan legislature to impose a 20% excise tax on all betting stakes, which is based on a fundamental misunderstanding by the Kenyan treasury of how revenue generation works in the bookmaker industry. Such taxes render the betting sector in Kenya commercially unviable.

“As a result, we have been forced to make 453 employees in our Kenyan operations redundant, which was an extremely difficult decision for the company to take.

The spokesperson said that, through layoffs, the new tax will end up resulting in a significant loss of tax revenues for the Kenyan government.

“This means that in addition to the billions of Ksh in lost government revenues that will result from the closure of betting companies’ operations, the livelihoods of taxpayers across the country are also now directly impacted, as are the many individuals that they themselves may privately employ, such as domestic staff,” the spokesperson said.

“The economic and social impact of the government action therefore continues to be felt by Kenyan business and Kenyans themselves, with many individuals now without employment and the important social investment in grassroots sports delivered by betting companies now under threat.

“We urge the Kenyan government to reconsider its current agenda.”

In August, Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta called upon the country’s lawmakers to pass a total ban on gambling in the country,

Charles Rapulu Udoh

Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based Lawyer with special focus on Business Law, Intellectual Property Rights, Entertainment and Technology Law. He is also an award-winning writer. Working for notable organizations so far has exposed him to some of industry best practices in business, finance strategies, law, dispute resolution, and data analytics both in Nigeria and across the world

African Youth See Bitcoin as Opportunity to Build Entrepreneurial Ventures

October 4, 2019

Young Africans are searching for opportunities that will help engender their enterprising spirits and remove barriers to business initiatives, and Blockchain technology seem to be the answer to that expectations. This comes as the role of entrepreneurship in driving Africa’s prosperity in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) was among key topics at the last World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa which was held in Cape Town recently. To this end, Paxful , a leading peer-to-peer global bitcoin marketplace, is excited about the improving economic outlook for Africa and entrepreneurial growth opportunities.

Ray Youseff, CEO and co-founder of Paxful

With nearly 3 million users globally and Africa being its fastest-growing customer base, Paxful has a unique insight into the development of the crypto economy across the continent. The company is seeing an increase in the amount of entrepreneurial activity on its platform. Many young Africans see bitcoin as an opportunity to develop commercial ventures; users set up side-hustles and their own full-time businesses including remittance businesses. Paxful has found that users from Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa have been the most active to date this year with many operating drop-shipping businesses, payment services, as well as import-export ventures amongst others.

Intra-regional trade is one of the highest priorities for African governments, as evidenced by initiatives such as the historic African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. By some estimates, the AfCFTA could boost Africa trade by more than 33% and generate billions of dollars of GDP gains for the continent over the long term. Various studies have shown that the digital economy presents an opportunity for Africa to deepen trade relations and boost the continent’s GDP.

Already Paxful is seeing that many African users prefer to trade with each other – territories like Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa lead intra-Africa trade activity on the Paxful platform. Over the years, Paxful has engaged many business owners who see a future for themselves in the crypto space. Beyond the big players, there are many ambitious up and coming bitcoin savvy business owners who focus on the African market. An entrepreneur-born in Malawi, named Grey, helps consumers buy and sell bitcoin. He has managed to expand his business to employ staff that helps consumers in Malawi to navigate the crypto space to better meet their financial needs. He also mentioned that many of his customers have limited access to credit cards, opting instead to buy bitcoin in order to purchase products and services on various e-commerce and streaming websites. Some of his customers will resell the products they buy for a profit. Others will keep the products for personal use or send them to loved ones.

Some of Grey’s customers even use bitcoin to purchase cars from vendors in Japan for resell in various African countries. Interestingly most of his customers find him on social media and through messaging apps.

Social development organizations that operate in Africa like Zam Zam Water and Grow Educare Centres have also expanded their sights to include cryptocurrency in raising funds for their projects. Zam Zam Water has built schools and pays teacher salaries for communities in need in Rwanda with money raised in the bitcoin industry. Bitcoin funds raised by Grow Educare Centres has bought supplies – including books, stationery, and toys – for low-fee kindergartens that support disadvantaged communities.

“While African entrepreneurs continue to face many lingering challenges, we have seen first-hand on our platform how the opportunity to use technology and innovate can achieve greater financial inclusion as well as socio-economic development and job creation,” Ray Youseff, CEO and co-founder of Paxful.

“As an African-born tech entrepreneur myself, my hope is that African governments, regulators and policymakers will create the right operating environment for the continent’s young Digi-entrepreneurs to succeed,” he added.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry.

Ethiosat, Ethiopia First Dedicated TV Platform Debuts

As part of efforts aimed at telling its own story in a narrative that succinctly captures its rich cultural diversities, Ethiopia’s first dedicated television platform, Ethiosat has been launched. With this development, Ethiopian TV viewers who over the years have had to navigate through a plethora of multinational content in a variety of foreign languages in order to locate their favourite channels will now have something with a domestic appeal to rely on. Ethiosat will now host Ethiopia’s most popular local channels. Sources say that the launch of the Ethiosat was made possible through collaborations between the Association of Ethiopian Broadcasters (AEB), the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC), and the world’s leading satellite operator, SES. It is going to be hosted on SES’s NSS-12 satellite at 57 degrees East and delivers over 30 channels for Ethiopian audiences only, with 12 of those channels already in High Definition (HD) quality.

Ferdinand Kayser, CEO of SES Video — Ferdinand Kayser, CEO, SES Video

While speaking on the development, the Chairman of Association of Ethiopian Broadcasters (AEB) Amman Fissehazion, said that before now, the majority of Ethiopia’s content has been broadcast from an orbital location that also supplies content to Middle Eastern and North African countries, which explains the often confusing mix of content. Explaining that by migrating the most popular Ethiopian TV channels to a new location on SES’s satellite, “we’ve created an Ethiopian-only TV offering, that also delivers a variety of channels in HD, a first in Ethiopia.”

Fissehazion added that this is also a great time for the millions of homes in Ethiopia that currently do not receive TV services to bring TV sets into their home. “For Ethiopians looking to buy a new TV set and receive content from the dedicated TV neighbourhood, we recommend purchasing an HD TV whenever possible, as this will allow for a higher picture quality.” In addition, the launch of Ethiosat will offer Ethiopians a larger offering of both local and relevant international content in the future. Fissehazion said, “We believe consolidating all Ethiopian TV channels and broadcasting them from one orbital position will fuel growth in the Ethiopian media sector, as local networks will now be able to easily expand their audience reach. This will bring in healthy and growing advertising markets, which will result in a greater variety of content, and more localised content.”

“SES is supporting every aspect of this launch and providing on-the-ground services to ensure that Ethiosat is successful, which includes training local installers to correctly repoint the satellite dishes of each TV household to ensure a seamless migration. Ethiosat will be bringing a completely new television experience to Ethiopians. We intend for the reliability and quality of the new platform to bring in many new viewers, powering a bright future for the Ethiopian media sector,” said Ferdinand Kayser, CEO of SES Video.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry.