Etisalat Afghanistan

What Etisalat Afghanistan does

Etisalat Afghanistan, which rebranded to e& Afghanistan on June 23, 2026, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of e& (formerly Etisalat Group / Emirates Telecommunications Corporation, listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange). Founded in August 2007 and headquartered at Ehasan Plaza in Shar-e-Naw, Kabul, the company operates a nationwide mobile telecommunications network covering all 34 provinces and over 400 districts of Afghanistan, with 4G LTE coverage in 33 provinces. Its technology stack combines terrestrial 2G/3G/4G infrastructure with YahClick satellite broadband for unserved areas, eSIM provisioning, an embedded CPaaS messaging platform for enterprise customers, and a mobile money wallet (mHawala, being relaunched as e& money). International roaming is delivered through bilateral agreements with 231 telecom networks across 116 countries, and distribution is anchored by 12,000+ retail outlets, USSD-based self-service (*888#), the My e& Afghanistan mobile app (Android and iOS), and an Afghan Post partnership that supports mandatory SIM registration across all provinces.

The business serves two principal segments. The consumer/mass-market segment is the primary driver and includes prepaid plans (Mumtaz, Josh Plus, Mukammal), postpaid plans (Postpaid Excel), social and YouTube data bundles, regional data offers targeting border provinces, international calling bundles, and a customer loyalty program launched in 2011 (the first by an Afghan telecom). Revenue is generated via airtime, usage-based data bundles, value-added services, and transaction fees from mobile money transfers. The business/enterprise segment supplies Internet Dedicated Access, Leased Circuit, VPN, Mobile Broadband, YahClick satellite internet, CPaaS messaging, and carrier/wholesale services via direct enterprise sales. Pricing is denominated in Afghan Afghani (AFN), with data bundles ranging from 5 AFN (daily social) to 1,799 AFN (76GB regional monthly), and voice bundles from 15 AFN (daily) to 399 AFN (monthly).

The go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer distribution (retail stores, online recharge portals, self-service app/USSD) with a channel partner network that includes Afghan Post for SIM distribution and eight international top-up partners (Ding, Transfer To, Prepay Nation, Tranglo, Klink Mobile, Top-up4You, Orange Pay, eTopUpOnline) enabling diaspora-driven cross-border airtime flows. The company is led by CEO Abdullah Al Jaziri, employs 251-500 staff of which 93% are local Afghan nationals, and is governed by the e& group's corporate framework. Strategic direction is set by the parent's FY2025 results (AED 72.9 billion revenue, AED 14.4 billion net profit, 244.7 million group subscribers across 38 countries), with the June 2026 rebrand positioning the Afghan subsidiary as a technology and digital services provider rather than a pure-play mobile operator.

Name

Etisalat Afghanistan

Legal name

Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat Afghanistan)

Website

https://etisalat.af

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

e& Afghanistan (formerly Etisalat Afghanistan) is a mobile telecom operator serving Afghan consumers and enterprises across all 34 provinces via 12,000+ retail outlets, offering 4G voice/data, satellite broadband, eSIM, international roaming, and the mHawala mobile money service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobile Telecommunications

NAICS

Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (517112)

SIC

Radiotelephone Communications (4812)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile Roaming & Interconnect Services (roaming hubs, IREG/TADIG, clearing) (HDAIAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wireless Networking Services (Wi‑Fi, Private LTE/5G) (BPAEAEAE)

Keywords

• Mobile telecommunications
• Mobile data services
• Mobile financial services
• Enterprise connectivity
• International roaming

Headquarters

HQ city

Kabul

HQ country

Afghanistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Mobile Voice Services: Prepaid and postpaid voice services generating airtime and call charges across personal and business segments
2. Mobile Data Services: Internet data packages including daily, weekly, monthly bundles; social media bundles; YouTube bundles; and regional data offers
3. Mobile Financial Services (e& Money): Digital payment and money transfer services rebranded from mHawala to e& money
4. Enterprise / Business Services: B2B services including Internet Dedicated Access, Leased Circuit, VPN, Mobile Broadband, Cloud Platform as a Service (CPaaS), and Carrier/Wholesale services
5. Value Added Services (VAS): Ring-back tones (CRBT), loyalty program points, international tariffs, and other premium services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Etisalat Afghanistan (now e& Afghanistan) provides mobile voice, SMS, and mobile data services on 2G/3G/4G networks across all 34 provinces of Afghanistan, with 4G coverage in 33 provinces. The company also offers international roaming with 231 networks across 116 countries, YahClick satellite broadband for remote areas, mobile financial services (mHawala, relaunching as e& money), enterprise solutions (Internet Dedicated Access, Leased Circuit, VPN, CPaaS messaging, Mobile Broadband), and carrier/wholesale services to other telecom operators. Distribution is supported by 12,000+ retail outlets and a USSD-based self-service platform.

Product overview

Etisalat Afghanistan (now e& Afghanistan) operates a comprehensive telecommunications portfolio across Afghanistan, serving personal and business subscribers in all 34 provinces through over 12,000 retail outlets with 4G coverage in 33 provinces. The product portfolio is organized into personal services (voice, data, international roaming, eSim, satellite broadband via YahClick, and mobile financial services via e& money/mHawala), postpaid and prepaid voice/data plans (Postpaid Excel, Mumtaz, Josh Plus, Mukammal), and business solutions (Internet Dedicated Access, Leased Circuit, CPaaS messaging platform, Mobile Broadband, VPN, and Carrier & Wholesale). Supplementary offerings include a customer loyalty program (the first by a telecom in Afghanistan, launched 2011), value-added services (ringback tones, app-based services), a self-service mobile app (My e& Afghanistan on Android and iOS), and an online recharge platform integrated with multiple international top-up partners (Ding, Etopup Online, Tranglo, Transfer To, Prepay Nation, Klink Mobile, Top-up4You, Orange Pay). The company rebranded from Etisalat Afghanistan to e& Afghanistan in June 2026, positioning itself as a technology and digital services provider.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• e& money: Mobile financial service, rebranded from mHawala, enabling users to send, receive, and manage money securely.

Products and services

• Mobile Data Services
• International Roaming
• eSIM
• YahClick Satellite Broadband
• e& money (formerly mHawala)
• Internet Dedicated Access
• Leased Circuit
• Cloud Platform as a Service (CPaaS)
• Mobile Broadband
• Virtual Private Network (VPN)
• Carrier & Wholesale
• Customer Loyalty Program
• My e& Afghanistan Mobile App
• Online Recharge Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• 244.7 million total subscribers across e& group as of FY 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• DingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorld's leading top-up service for international mobile recharge. Top-ups can be sent via the Ding App, website, and over 600,000 retail outlets worldwide.
• Transfer TominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational mobile recharge solution enabled via phone-to-phone via SMS or USSD. Offered in Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE), Europe (France, Germany), Asia (Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong), and the US.
• Prepay NationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational airtime top-up through a network of 20,000 point of sale locations enabling cross-border airtime transfer.
• TranglominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading international mobile financial transactions hub operator enabling cross-border airtime exchange, money transfer, and bill payment.
• Klink MobileminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational airtime top-up organization facilitating the transfer of minutes to mobile devices worldwide.
• Top-up4YouminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational recharge partner with over 10,000 outlets across Bangladesh, USA, Canada, and UAE for EA prepaid and postpaid lines in Afghanistan.
• Orange Pay Services CompanyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorE-Pay company providing electronic balance recharge services to retailers via mobile phones, POS machines, PC, and kiosks.
• eTopUpOnlineminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline recharge platform allowing registered users to send top-ups to prepaid mobile phones across over 120 operators worldwide, with mobile portal and smartphone app options.
• Afghan Post (Afghanistan Postal Service)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for SIM card registration and sales through Afghan Post offices across all 34 Afghan provinces, supporting mandatory SIM registration under Etisalat regulations.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• MTN Group: MTN Group is a pan-African and Middle East mobile operator serving over 290 million subscribers. It is comparable as a large multi-country mobile carrier with mobile money (MoMo) operating in frontier and emerging markets, including Afghanistan.
• Telenor Group: Telenor is a Nordic-based international mobile operator with a history of operations in South and Central Asia. It is comparable as a large multi-country carrier with frontier-market exposure, mobile financial services, and a similar emerging-markets operating playbook.
• Etisalat UAE (e& UAE): e& UAE is the flagship operating company of e& Group, offering mobile, fixed, broadband, and digital services in the UAE. Comparable because it is the parent of e& Afghanistan and operates a similar telecom+digital services model at greater scale.
• Vodafone Group: Vodafone is a global telecom operator with strong mobile money (M-Pesa) and emerging markets exposure. It is comparable as a large multi-country carrier with consumer voice/data plus mobile financial services similar to e& Afghanistan's mHawala / e& money offering.

Direct peers

• MTN Afghanistan: MTN Afghanistan is a subsidiary of South Africa's MTN Group, providing mobile voice, data, and mobile money (MTN Mobile Money) services in Afghanistan. It directly competes with e& Afghanistan for consumer, enterprise, and wholesale customers.
• Roshan (Telecom Development Company Afghanistan): Roshan is one of Afghanistan's largest mobile operators, offering 2G/3G/4G voice, data, and mobile money services across the country. It is a direct competitor to e& Afghanistan in the same consumer and enterprise segments with similar nationwide ambitions.
• Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC): AWCC was the first mobile operator in Afghanistan, offering 2G/3G/4G services nationwide. It competes head-to-head with e& Afghanistan in consumer voice/data, enterprise, and emerging digital services.

Emerging players

• Reliance Jio: Reliance Jio disrupted the Indian telecom market with low-priced 4G data and digital services. It is comparable as an emerging-market mobile operator that scaled data ARPU, mobile money (JioMoney), and digital ecosystem plays from a low-ARPU base — a relevant strategic analog for e& Afghanistan.

Regional players

• Grameenphone: Grameenphone is the largest mobile operator in Bangladesh, majority-owned by Telenor. It is comparable as a regional South Asian carrier serving a low-ARPU mass market with mobile financial services and similar consumer product packaging.
• Jazz (Pakistan Mobile Communications Limited): Jazz is Pakistan's largest mobile operator and a Veon subsidiary, offering 2G/3G/4G plus mobile money (JazzCash). It is comparable as a regional peer serving a neighboring, demographically and economically similar market with a similar product mix including international calling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/etisalat_2
• Xx.com/etisalataf
• Facebookfacebook.com/EtisalatAfg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Etisalat Afghanistan