Getahun Mekonnen

Pioneered Ethiopia's telecommunications revolution through innovative infrastructure development

Getahun Mekonnen (born 1965) is a visionary Ethiopian engineer and entrepreneur who revolutionized his country's telecommunications sector. As founder of Ethio Telecom, he spearheaded the construction of Ethiopia's first digital telephone network in the early 1990s, connecting rural areas previously isolated from modern communication systems. His work laid the groundwork for Ethiopia's mobile network expansion, which now serves over 60% of the population.

Mekonnen's innovative approach included leveraging satellite technology to bypass traditional infrastructure limitations. His 1998 white paper "Bridging the Digital Divide in Sub-Saharan Africa" became a blueprint for other developing nations. In 2000, he pioneered Africa's first fiber-optic cable project linking Addis Ababa to Djibouti, reducing international call costs by 70%.

His ITU-recognized contributions include developing community-based telecom models that empowered small businesses. Mekonnen's legacy continues through the Mekonnen Telecommunications Fellowship, supporting African engineering students. His work directly contributed to Ethiopia's ICT sector growing from $100M in 1995 to over $3B by 2010.