MTN opts out of a second bid for Ethiopia telco licence over risk

An MTN stand at an expo.

An MTN stand at an expo. PHOTO | FILE | NMG

After losing out to the Safaricom-led consortium in the race for a telecom licence in Ethiopia in May, MTN now says it will not make a second bid to expand into the region via the reissued licence that comes with mobile money.

The telecom giant is cautious about the investment risk that Ethiopia currently poses, which company executives say outweighs the benefits.