MTN sets its sights on Ethiopia again By Dineo Faku Share AFRICAâS largest telecoms firm, MTN, was considering having another go at becoming a mobile operator in Ethiopia after losing to Kenyaâs Safaricom over a week ago, the group said on Friday. Ethiopiaâs communications regulator awarded Safaricom, a member of a consortium led by Vodafone, the parent company of Vodacom, MTNâs rival, with a licence to operate telecom services in Ethiopia, Africaâs second-most populous country. MTN chief executive Ralph Mupita told shareholders during the companyâs 26th annual general meeting (AGM) held virtually on Friday that MTN would apply its mind should the Ethiopian government reissue the licence.