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Jun 7 , 2025

WEGAGEN GRAZES FRESH GREEN GROUND

Wegagen Capital Investment Bank, one of the first two standalone investment banks, launched operations on June 2, 2025, at the Hilton Addis Abeba Hotel. Chief Executive Officer Brutawit Dawit was joined by Aklilu Wubet (PhD), (middle) president of Wegagen Bank and chairman of the new venture, and Ti...

Jun 8 , 2025 . By BEZAWIT HULUAGER

Central Bank Moves to Erase Paper Bonds Betting on Digital Overhaul

Investors will soon find that physical paper certificates for government bonds and Central Bank securities are a relic of the past, replaced by electronic records stored securely online. The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) recently issued a draft directive introducing digital records, a step toward modernising the country's financial markets. Known as "dematerialisation," this electronic system seeks to streamline the issuance, ownership, and transfer of securities. According to Central Bank officials, the new digital system will boost investors' confidence, bringing Ethiopia closer to inte...


Jun 8 , 2025 . By NAHOM AYELE

When Purpose Meets Penalties, the Taxman Strikes Back

In a fresh blow to the embattled Purpose Black S.C., the Ministry of Revenues has demanded over half a billion Birr in back taxes, penalties, and interest, intensifying the regulatory storm surrounding the company. The tax authority's demand covers unpaid withholding and value-added taxes (VAT) accrued during the 2023 and 2024 fiscal years, further complicating an already volatile situation for the company, which was once celebrated for its promise of inclusive market access and community-based wealth building. Ali Edris, tax investigation coordinator for the Ministry of Revenues, detail...


Jun 12 , 2025

Horizon Eyes Somali Region for Grand-Scale Agri Investment Push

Horizon Plantations Plc, a subsidiary of MIDROC Investment Group, is launching a major agricultural project in the Somali Regional State, aspiring to transform underutilised land into productive farmland. The company has secured 20,000hct across two zones for an ambitious irrigation farm project. Initial investments are projected at nearly 30 billion Br, with the Development Bank of Ethiopia (DBE), a state policy bank, expected to finance 75pc of the project value. Located in Sitti and Shebelle zones, near the Shebelle River, the area is known to have extensive groundwater resources, ensuri...

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Jun 8 , 2025

Authorities Target Reckless Driving With Mandatory Retraining

In a marked departure from traditional deterrents, transport authorities are set to impose a compulsory rehabilitation program for drivers whose licenses are suspended due to serious traffic violation...

Jun 8 , 2025

Feds Push for Product Prestige While Global Market Profits Elude Local Producers

Federal authorities are pushing ahead with an ambitious plan to institutionalise Geographical Indications (GIs), a legal framework designed to link product quality and origin. Launched through a partn...

May 31 , 2025

Real Estate Developers Build a Lobby as Rules Tighten

Real-estate developers have formed a new lobbying group, the Ethiopian Real Estate Developers' Association, after years of working piecemeal while rules tightened and public scepticism grew. The new l...

Government to Open Farm Advisory Market to Private Sector

A draft proclamation, endorsed by the Council of Ministers two weeks ago, will permit private entities to deliver agricultural extension services that were previously the sole responsibility of govern...

May 31 , 2025

Central Bank Orders Banks to Map Their Own Safety Net

Regulators at the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) have issued a notice to commercial banks, instructing them to develop a clear roadmap for staying afloat in the event of trouble and to do so promptly...

May 31 , 2025

Water Ministry Shifts Weed-Clearing Burden to Local Institutions

The Ministry of Water & Energy has announced plans to enlist institutions located near affected water bodies and assign them responsibility for reducing the invasive water hyacinth presence throug...

May 31 , 2025

Addis Abeba's EV Rollout Short-Circuits Due to Power Delays

Addis Abeba is racing to build a public charging network for electric cars estimated to reach 100,000, but the rollout has already hit a wall. The plugs are installed,but the power is not. The Traf...

May 31 , 2025

NBE Plans Insurance Overhaul After Years of Regulatory Drift

The federal government is to establish an independent regulator for the insurance industry, setting in motion a long overdue process, according to industry insiders. A drafting of revised financial se...

May 24 , 2025

URBAN BOOM MEETS DRAINAGE BUST

First came the trickle, then the torrent. On a humid night in late March, a low-lying neighbourhood on Addis Abeba's southeastern fringe watched its usually placid stream surge over the banks, punch t...

May 24 , 2025

Visa Trap Leaves South Sudanese Students Stranded from Going Home

When Moses Akuei received his geology degree from Wolaita Sodo University, the 27-year-old from South Sudan imagined proudly returning home to his family. Instead, he now sleeps on friends' couches an...

May 24 , 2025

Central Bank Pushes to Till New Ground in Farm Finance

The Central Bank is launching a sweeping initiative to overhaul the agricultural finance system, targeting deep-rooted structural gaps that have long limited the sector's potential. The plan seeks...

Federal Bill Seeks Foreign Cash for Housing, Barring Access to Domestic Credit

Federal legislators are considering a bill that would allow foreign nationals to lease land and own residential properties, while prohibiting them from borrowing money or raising capital from local ba...

May 24 , 2025

In Addis Abeba, Tourist Numbers Rise But Tables Stay Empty

Traditional restaurants in Addis Abeba, known for serving authentic domestic dishes and offering vibrant cultural performances, face severe constraints, despite an uptick in tourist arrivals officiall...

May 24 , 2025

Toxic Residue Taints Avocado Boom

Traces of pesticides, banned internationally due to serious health and environmental concerns, have been found in avocados, pressing for stronger regulation and increased awareness among farmers. Repr...

May 17 , 2025

MILK SUPPLY DISRUPTIONS DRIVE PRICE SURGE

The soaring price of milk is becoming increasingly unaffordable, uncovering a deepening crisis in the dairy industry. Households are feeling the pinch as prices recently jumped by 20pc, leaving famili...

Sovereign Fund Dips Into T-Bills Stirring Markets Long Left Dormant

Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH) has stepped into the Treasury Bill (T-bill) market for the first time, investing nearly seven billion Birr, marking a notable shift for commercial entities in the p...


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Where the Roof Overhead Comes with a Ceiling on Hope

Few promises shine brighter in Addis Abeba than the pledge of a roof for every family. Gle...

Editorial | Jun 7 , 2025

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Zemen Gebeya, the digital marketplace that Ethio telecom switched on only two weeks ago, i...

Featured | May 24 , 2025 . By YITBAREK GETACHEW

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Meseret Mulle rises before dawn in the crowded quarter around Golagol Tower, waking her tw...

Agenda | Jun 8 , 2025 . By RUTH BERHANU

WEGAGEN GRAZES FRESH GREEN GROUND

Wegagen Capital Investment Bank, one of the first two standalone investment banks, launche...

Fortune News | Jun 7 , 2025