Etisalat Afghanistan
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersKabul, Afghanistan
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
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.
Etisalat Afghanistan firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Etisalat Afghanistan industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Etisalat Afghanistan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kabul
- HQ country
- Afghanistan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices8 records
Markets served
Etisalat Afghanistan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Mobile Voice Services: Prepaid and postpaid voice services generating airtime and call charges across personal and business segments
- Mobile Data Services: Internet data packages including daily, weekly, monthly bundles; social media bundles; YouTube bundles; and regional data offers
- Mobile Financial Services (e& Money): Digital payment and money transfer services rebranded from mHawala to e& money
- Enterprise / Business Services: B2B services including Internet Dedicated Access, Leased Circuit, VPN, Mobile Broadband, Cloud Platform as a Service (CPaaS), and Carrier/Wholesale services
- Value Added Services (VAS): Ring-back tones (CRBT), loyalty program points, international tariffs, and other premium services
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Prepaid - Mumtaz plan |
| Subscription | Monthly | Prepaid - Josh Plus plan |
| Subscription | Monthly | Prepaid - Mukammal plan |
| Per seat | Monthly | Postpaid - Postpaid Excel |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Social Bundles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | YouTube Bundles |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Regional Data Offers |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | International Calling Bundles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | All-Net Call Offers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Combo Bundles |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Etisalat Afghanistan product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Etisalat Afghanistan
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Etisalat Afghanistan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Feature6 records
Etisalat Afghanistan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- DingminorWorld'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 TominorInternational 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 NationminorInternational airtime top-up through a network of 20,000 point of sale locations enabling cross-border airtime transfer.
- TranglominorLeading international mobile financial transactions hub operator enabling cross-border airtime exchange, money transfer, and bill payment.
- Klink MobileminorInternational airtime top-up organization facilitating the transfer of minutes to mobile devices worldwide.
- Top-up4YouminorInternational recharge partner with over 10,000 outlets across Bangladesh, USA, Canada, and UAE for EA prepaid and postpaid lines in Afghanistan.
- Orange Pay Services CompanyminorE-Pay company providing electronic balance recharge services to retailers via mobile phones, POS machines, PC, and kiosks.
- eTopUpOnlineminorOnline 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)corePartnership 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
Etisalat Afghanistan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad 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
Etisalat Afghanistan social profiles
Digital presenceEtisalat Afghanistan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Etisalat Afghanistan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Etisalat Afghanistan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Etisalat Afghanistan M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Etisalat Afghanistan
What does Etisalat Afghanistan do?
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.
Is Etisalat Afghanistan a public or private company?
Etisalat Afghanistan is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Etisalat Afghanistan founded?
Etisalat Afghanistan was founded in 2007. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Etisalat Afghanistan based?
Etisalat Afghanistan is headquartered in Kabul, Afghanistan, in the Asia region.
How does Etisalat Afghanistan make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Mobile Voice Services are the primary driver. The others are mobile Data Services, mobile Financial Services (e& Money), enterprise / Business Services and value Added Services (VAS).
Who are Etisalat Afghanistan's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are MTN Group, Telenor Group, Etisalat UAE (e& UAE) and Vodafone Group. Direct peers are MTN Afghanistan, Roshan (Telecom Development Company Afghanistan) and Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC). Reliance Jio is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Grameenphone and Jazz (Pakistan Mobile Communications Limited).
Does Etisalat Afghanistan have an API?
No public API is recorded for Etisalat Afghanistan.
What industry is Etisalat Afghanistan in?
Etisalat Afghanistan's product category is Mobile Telecommunications. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAEAE, Mobile Roaming & Interconnect Services (roaming hubs, IREG/TADIG, clearing), with a secondary code of BPAEAEAE, Wireless Networking Services (Wi‑Fi, Private LTE/5G). Its NAICS code is 517112 and its SIC code is 4812.