Prospective investors can now submit business proposals should they be interested in engaging in commercial ventures in four industrial parks, following the Industrial Parks Development Corporation (IPDC) availing 26ht of land to develop commercial spaces unrelated to manufacturing.

The industry sees the Corporation's latest decision as a major departure from the past when only manufacturers were permitted to access land inside industrial parks.

The last decade saw 13 industrial parks in Ethiopia, with annual exports reaching 164 million dollars. It is a far cry from the 1.5 billion dollars invested in them, although the authorities deem this a "triumph" to repeat by allowing non-manufacturing businesses to thrive at the four industry hubs.

The Corporation has announced a call for expressions of interest from potential investors for three of Addis Abeba's industrial parks – Bole Lemi, Kilinto and the ICT Park - and Hawassa Industrial Park. The parks are operational, with sheds being utilised by manufacturers.

Three-fourth of the land to be availed is found at Bole Lemi and Kilinto with 10ht each, whereas 5.2ht is cleared for developers at ICT Park. Another 1.1ht is available in Hawassa. Specialising in textiles and garments, Hawassa Industrial Park sits on 140ht of land 275Km south of the capital. The Park started operation in 2016, and all 52 of its sheds are occupied by domestic and international companies.

The three parks in the outskirts of Addis Abeba have each specialised in a different line of products with Kilinto Industrial Park, on 279ht of land, designated for pharmaceuticals. The 200ht ICT Park, a.k.a the Silicon Vally of Ethiopia, specialises in IT-related manufacturing and digital businesses. The two Bole Lemi Industrial Parks sit on 172ht and 181ht of land, respectively, and both are textile hubs.

Anyone interested in developing the land can submit proposals, disclosed Behailu Kebede, marketing and communications head of the Corporation.

“But it's only for non-manufacturing businesses that aim to provide services whether for the parks’ communities or people outside them,” said Behailu.