• System enables online access to government services and document processing
• Initiative supports digital transformation under “Digital Ethiopia 2030”

Ethiopia has introduced an electronic signature system to streamline access to government services, as part of its broader digital transformation strategy.

Called teleSign, the platform was developed by state-owned telecom operator Ethio Telecom and officially unveiled on Tuesday, Jan. 31. It enables citizens to complete administrative procedures online securely, without having to visit government offices.

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teleSign enables both the diaspora and domestic citizens to legally grant or revoke Power of Attorney (PoA) digitally, eliminating the need for physical presence at embassies, consulates, or government offices.

Furthermore, the platform incorporates 2/6 pic.twitter.com/l27Lw8WhiZ

— Ethio telecom (@ethiotelecom) March 31, 2026

Users can sign official documents, verify their identity digitally, request certificates, certify documents and grant power of attorney from anywhere at any time.

“The launch of teleSign marks a major milestone in Ethiopia’s digital transformation journey, introducing secure digital identity verification, legally recognized digital signatures, and fully digitized government workflows that reduce bureaucracy, increase accessibility, and promote national digital inclusion,” Ethio Telecom said in a statement.

The World Bank says electronic signatures can help accelerate digital transformation. In a 2024 report, it noted that as transactions move online, the systems that ensure their security must also adapt.

Without reliable, legally recognised tools to authenticate digital exchanges, handwritten signatures remain necessary, requiring citizens and businesses to appear in person and slowing digitisation.

“When transactions are digitised, new security challenges emerge, as the ease with which digital data can be duplicated or altered creates vulnerabilities absent in paper-based systems,” the report, titled Electronic Signatures: Enabling Trustworthy Digital Transformation, said.

Ethiopia is relying on digital transformation to accelerate its socio-economic development under its “Digital Ethiopia 2030” strategy. The country ranks 169th on the United Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI). In 2024, it scored 0.3111 out of 1, below sub-regional, continental and global averages.

Isaac K. Kassouwi