“Ethio Telecom has signed up 4 million Ethiopians for a mobile money service that it launched in May, a document published by the Finance Ministry said, as the government seeks to sell a stake in the state-owned company. The Telebirr service allow users to send and receive money, deposit or take out cash at appointed agents, pay bills and receive cash from abroad, mirroring services that have spread elsewhere in Africa where many people do not have bank accounts. Ethio Telecom launched the service as the government seeks to sell a 40% stake in the company, part of a broader plan to liberalise its largely closed economy. A tender for the stake sale was issued this month.”