Ethiopia launches Lehulu, unified utility billing system

Ethiopian Ministry of Communication and Information Technology together with a private company called Kifiya Financial Technology plc. has launched centers established to provide one window electronic billing service where customers pay water, electric and telephone bills.

Currently customers pay their bills to the three utility companies from different payment centers.

The system known as Lehulu, an Amhraic word meaning for all, is said to be a first in Africa. The new service is expected to end the previous routine, tiresome and time consuming system of billing for water, telephone and electric via a single center for all. Moreover, as the centers are going to be opened in different parts of the capital and major state cities, it would help customers save their time, energy and transport cost that they used to waste unnecessarily.

Gradually, the service could be delivered online and also via mobile phones that customers may even have the opportunity to pay bills being at home. The system, said to be worth 100 million birr and have the potential to create over 400 jobs, should wholly replace the old centers and the Ministry should use its maximum potential to expand in areas outside the capital. In the future, lehulu centers, in addition to easing utility bill payment procedures, would add more services.

Source: Ethpress