Abyssinia Bank Awards 60-Storey Construction Project to Chinese Firm


Abyssinia Bank Awards 60-Storey Construction Project to Chinese Firm

The Bank of Abyssinia has awarded the contract for the construction of a 60-storey building in Addis Abeba's financial district to China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd. The Bank's executives estimate the project will cost over three billion Birr. The Chinese contractor was the firm behind the construction of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia's (CBE) 48-storey headquarter building in Senga Tera. It also built the African Union Conference Centre in the Sarbet area. The firm won the contract to erect Abyssinia's building last December following an international tender. The Bank solidified its position as an industry leader with a noteworthy performance last year, netting 1.34 billion Br in profits. An 86.6pc growth in deposits mobilised drove the growth, while the Bank's paid-up capital has reached 7.2 billion Br, surpassing the central bank's revised minimum threshold of five billion Birr. The building is set to be an addition to the banking headquarters recently erected in Senga Tera. The CBE inaugurated its tower earlier this year, following in the footsteps of Hibret and Nib banks, which have also set up shop in the financial district. Zemen Bank is expected to inaugurate its headquarters in the coming months.


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Parliament Reviews Bill Allowing Foreign Property Ownership

A draft proclamation that would allow foreigners to own or occupy immovable property in Ethiopia has been submitted to parliament by the Council of Ministers. Designed to attract foreign investment, the draft law plans to ensure that Ethiopian citizens retain their right to land ownership and use. According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office, the draft was among six agenda items discussed and approved during the Council's regular session held on May 2, 2025. The proclamation is e...


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Speeding in the Spotlight as New Safety Drive Begins

The Road Safety and Insurance Fund Service has stated that drivers are responsible for 68 percent of traffic accidents in Ethiopia, with the remainder mainly caused by pedestrians and road conditions. On this topic, the service launched a one-month mass media campaign on last week focused on raising awareness about speeding, the leading cause of traffic accidents. The campaign, under the motto "Slow Down, Speeding Ruins Lives," plans to shed light on the dangers of speeding. Yohannes Lemma, E...


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Askari Metals Secures Five Gold Licenses in Untapped Adola Belt

Askari Metals has acquired 100pc of Rift Valley Metals, gaining five gold exploration licences covering 460sqkm in Ethiopia's Adola Greenstone Belt, part of the southern Arabian-Nubian Shield, a mineral-rich but underexplored region. "The exploration areas—Sakaro, Sakaro West, Lega Dembi South, Megado, and Wayu Boda—lie near Ethiopia's top gold mines, including Lega Dembi and Sakaro, which have produced over three million ounces of gold. The area is known for orogenic gold systems hosted...