(Business in Cameroon) – Cameroon’s state-owned telecom operator CAMTEL has formalised a strategic partnership with Ethiopia’s Ethio Telecom as it prepares the launch of its mobile-money service, Blue Money, in 2026. The two public operators signed a three-year Master Service Agreement (MSA) on 4 December in Yaoundé, marking a new phase in Cameroon’s digital transformation agenda and reinforcing South–South cooperation in the African telecoms sector.
The agreement follows several months of technical and commercial exchanges and was endorsed during an audience granted by Cameroon’s Prime Minister. CAMTEL General Manager Judith Yah Sunday Epse Achidi and Ethio Telecom CEO Frehiwot Tamiru signed the MSA on behalf of their respective institutions. According to CAMTEL, the partnership aims to mobilise Ethio Telecom’s operational experience to support major national priorities, including digital payments, public-sector digitisation and infrastructure modernisation.
Ethio Telecom, which serves more than 86 million subscribers and reported 731 billion FCFA in revenue according to figures cited by CAMTEL during the ceremony, is one of Africa’s largest public operators. Over the past six years, it has led Ethiopia’s digital transformation through the expansion of its national fibre backbone, the deployment of 4G and 5G, and the rollout of its mobile-money platform, Telebirr. CAMTEL officials said these achievements make Ethio Telecom a relevant partner as Cameroon seeks to strengthen its digital foundations and expand access to electronic payment services.
A CAMTEL press release outlines four priority areas covered by the MSA. The first is support for the development of Blue Money, CAMTEL’s upcoming electronic payment service. The second focuses on digitising public services, including establishing a sovereign government cloud to improve data management and service delivery. The third concerns network modernisation, with an emphasis on expanding 4G and 5G and improving operational performance. The fourth pillar is internal organisational transformation to enhance CAMTEL’s efficiency and customer service capabilities.
Ethio Telecom’s CEO stated that her company’s experience in infrastructure development and digital-service delivery positions it to support Cameroon’s objectives. She emphasised alignment with Cameroon’s national digital strategy and the African Union Digital Transformation Strategy 2020–2030, noting that both countries aim to use digital tools to improve economic competitiveness and service quality.
Before the signing ceremony, the Ethiopian delegation held working sessions at CAMTEL headquarters to examine prospects for technical cooperation and explore potential areas of operational synergy. The two CEOs were received by Cameroon’s Prime Minister, who welcomed the agreement as a step toward reinforcing national efforts to modernise public administration and expand digital access.
According to CAMTEL, the three-year MSA provides a framework for technical assistance, capacity-building and strategic guidance as the operator moves forward with its digitalisation programme. The partnership is expected to support improvements in service delivery for businesses and consumers, particularly in connectivity, digital payments and cloud-based public services. CAMTEL considers the agreement a model of collaboration between African public operators and a means to leverage continental expertise to drive national transformation.
Mercy Fosoh
