Ethiopia has among the world’s harshest internet restrictions. Indeed, the nation was recently labeled “not free” by Freedom on the Net. Ethiopia has been plagued by internet shutdowns, website restrictions, and the arrests of bloggers in recent years. While the situation has improved significantly since Ethiopia’s government changed in 2018, internet freedom remains severely limited.
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, enables you to browse the internet in Ethiopia without jeopardizing your privacy. When you connect to a VPN, the internet traffic from your device is sent via an encrypted tunnel to the VPN’s server. This assigns you a new, temporary IP address while concealing your real IP address and physical location. Not only will you retain your online anonymity, but you will also be able to access geo-restricted websites and services from a variety of different countries.
With so many VPNs available, choosing the best VPN for Ethiopia might be difficult. We’ve limited the field by focusing on VPNs that provide the following critical features:
- Servers located across hundreds of countries (bonus points for servers in Ethiopia).
- Connections that are both fast and consistent are ideal for browsing and streaming.
- Extremely robust security, including encryption and a strict no-log policy.
- Desktop and mobile applications that are easy to use.
- Support through live chat and email, ideally accessible 24 hours a day.
- A money-back guarantee enables you to experiment risk-free.
Best VPN for Ethiopia
NordVPN
NordVPN is one of the most well-known VPN services available. It’s a handy and user-friendly alternative, with over 5,000 servers in several countries. It has well over 1,500 servers in the United States alone, which means you may easily access websites and services that have been blocked in Ethiopia. This covers social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp. You’ll also be able to watch Netflix and Disney+. Additionally, NordVPN supports simultaneous connections across multiple devices.
Due to its outstanding variety of security features, this VPN protects you from anything from hackers to viruses. Apart from 256-bit AES encryption and DNS leak prevention, NordVPN also has a kill switch and adheres to a strict no-logging policy. Even better, specialized Double VPN and Onion Over VPN servers give an additional layer of safety. This is especially critical in countries such as Ethiopia that have tight internet control. NordVPN’s most recent innovation is NordLocker – a file encryption tool that enables users to securely store and exchange files.
NordVPN provides several different applications. These are compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Android, and Android TV. You may choose between Chrome and Firefox browser extensions. In the case of routers, manual installation is necessary.
How to use a virtual private network (VPN) in Ethiopia
Utilizing a VPN in Ethiopia is identical to using one in any other nation. Additionally, it’s a really simple and fast process.
- Join the best VPN for Ethiopian users. We suggest NordVPN in particular.
- Download and install the VPN application or browser extension that is suitable for your device.
- Connect to a server in the country from which you want to surf using the app or browser extension. For instance, in Ethiopia or the United States. This will alter your IP address, creating the illusion of being in a different area.
- You’re now connected, which means you may browse the internet freely! If any content remains restricted, delete the cookies from your browser to ensure the changes take effect.
Why am I required to use a VPN in Ethiopia?
If you’re currently in Ethiopia, you’ve almost certainly met several internet limitations. Ethiopia’s administration has used heavy-handed measures to quell anti-government rallies since 2015 to quell political and social instability. Numerous protesters and bloggers have been detained over terrorist allegations. Additionally, prominent social media services such as Facebook and Twitter were repeatedly banned.
Fortunately, Ethiopia’s condition has improved since former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn resigned in February 2018. Following the release of imprisoned bloggers and the inauguration of Abiy Ahmed, a shift away from authoritarianism and the promise of democratic changes have occurred. Ethiopia, despite this, has several restrictive laws that give the government broad monitoring capabilities and limit freedom of speech.
A VPN enables you to circumvent internet limits and have unrestricted access to social networking sites, Ethiopian news websites, and political party websites. Additionally, the best VPN for Ethiopia shields you from government monitoring. The Computer Crime Proclamation empowers law enforcement to monitor and intercept communications in real-time. Additionally, the rule requires ISPs to maintain a minimum of one year of logs of conversations and information.
By selecting a VPN that encrypts your data and protects it from prying eyes, you may surf the web with confidence. Additionally, pick a VPN that adheres to a real no-logs policy to ensure that no record of your online activities is kept. In short, you need a VPN in Ethiopia to enjoy unfettered internet access, unmatched privacy and anonymity, and unmatched security.
Is it possible to use a free VPN in Ethiopia?
We highly advise against using free VPNs, even more so in countries with heavy internet control like Ethiopia. To begin with, the usual free VPN service has a fairly tiny network of servers spread over a small number of countries. This complicates the process of locating a suitable server for unblocking region-locked content. Additionally, this implies that server speeds will be slower as a result of the strong demand generated by a large number of users.
Bear in mind that there are relatively few free VPN services that provide servers in Ethiopia or even Africa. Therefore, if you’re looking to unblock Ethiopian content from overseas, you’ll need to search elsewhere. Free VPNs are severely restricted in terms of functionality. You may not be able to connect to multiple devices concurrently, and customer assistance may be unavailable in the event of a problem.
However, the primary reason to avoid using a free VPN in Ethiopia is for security reasons. Numerous free VPNs lack even the most basic security measures. For instance, a free VPN may not encrypt your data. This is especially dangerous in Ethiopia, where internet spying is rampant. Certain free VPN providers record and sell your data to other parties.
In comparison, the best VPNs for Ethiopia encrypt your data, prevent data leakage, and do not record your activity. This enables you to maintain your online privacy and anonymity regardless of where you are in Ethiopia or the rest of the globe.
Which websites am I able to view in Ethiopia using a VPN?
Ethiopian authorities have prohibited several social media and file-sharing services in recent years in response to anti-government demonstrations. This category comprises social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and Dropbox. Additionally, censorship-bypassing software such as Tor Browser and Psiphon has been unavailable at times.
Blocks have impacted more than just social media sites. Ethiopian media websites such as oromiamedia.org and ethsat.com are now subject to content restrictions. Additionally, websites dedicated to human rights and LGBT issues, such as queernet.org and samesexmarriage.ca, have been blocked.
While the bulk of the websites and services listed above have now been unblocked, you can prevent future disruptions by utilizing one of the top Ethiopia VPNs.