FORTUNE+ VIDEO SPONSORED CONTENTS ADVERTORIALS FORTUNE AUDIO Fortune Careers New TRADE AFRICA New

Fortune Logo

Yilkal Kefale (PhD) (second from left), president of the Amhara Regional State; Agegnehu Teshager (third from left), speaker of the House of Federation; and Yinager Dessie (PhD) (centre), governor of the central bank, were pleased as they were given a tour of the upmarket new skyscraper in Le Gare, the central business district of Addis Abeba. It was the official launching of Amhara Bank S.C., of which Henok Kebede (far right) and Melaku Fenta (far left) are the founding president and board chairperson, respectively. On the same day, the Bank also inaugurated its headquarters on Ras Mekonnen Avenue.


It was a day full of activities for the Bank that had been under formation since 2019. The Bank’s entry into the industry is unusual. Having mobilised 4.8 billion Br in paid-up capital, close to the central bank’s minimum threshold of five billion Br, Amhara Bank has arrived at a milestone that existing banks struggle with, some may never reach. The capital was mobilised from 180,000 subscribers, a shareholder base larger than any other bank in the industry. Its subscribed capital is over 6.5 billion Br. Amhara Bank has also launched its operations with 70 branches across the country, most of them in Addis Abeba and the Amhara Regional State. It is a big-bang entry into the banking industry, in sharp contrast to a single branch strategy Zemen Bank had followed a decade and a half ago.


The Bank’s founding management will have their work cut out for them. They must contend with an industry that has become increasingly crowded over the past few years as several banks joined, a slowing economy, and an unpredictable regulatory environment.



PUBLISHED ON Jun 18,2022 [ VOL 23 , NO 1155]

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 3 / 5. Vote count: 6

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.



Related Posts

[ssba-buttons]

Put your comments here

N.B: A submit button will appear once you fill out all the required fields.

Editors' Pick

Exclusive Interviews

State Enterprises from Oracles to Apprentices

Dec 22 , 2024 . By TIZITA SHEWAFERAW

Charged with transforming colossal state-owned enterprises into modern and competitiv...

Agenda

Rising Costs, Inflation Threaten Insurance Industry

Aug 18 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO

Although predictable Yonas Zerihun's job in the ride-hailing service is not immune to...

Agenda

BREWING DISCONTENT

Jul 28 , 2024 . By TIZITA SHEWAFERAW

Unhabitual, perhaps too many, Samuel Gebreyohannes, 38, used to occasionally enjoy a couple of beers at breakfast. However, he recently swit...

Fortune News

Electric Vehicle Push Leaves Investors in the Lurch

Jul 13 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO

Investors who rely on tractors, trucks, and field vehicles for commuting, transporting commodities, and f...

Commentaries

Aid Retreat Signals a Broader Collapse of Global Compassion

In 2015, the United Kingdom's (UK) then-prime minister, David Cameron, stood before t...

Can the Conference on Financing for Development Succeed?

It is easy to be pessimistic about multilateralism nowadays. Recent international gat...

Fineline

Leaders of the National . . .

Leaders of the National Election Board are in a charm offensive mood, of a sort. Last week, they organised a rare tour for members of the me...

When the country’s most. . .

When the country's most senior diplomats and envoys return back to their posts after two-week debriefings, they leave behind a point or two...

Editorial

Desire to March to the Sea Should Spill Reason on the Way

Jun 14 , 2025

Yet again, the Horn of Africa is bracing for trouble. A region already frayed by wars...

Where the Roof Overhead Comes with a Ceiling on Hope

Jun 7 , 2025

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

Courting Foreign Buyers of Properties While Land Remains State-Owned

May 31 , 2025

It is seldom flattering to be bracketed with North Korea and Myanmar. Ironically, Eth...

A Country on Life Support Must Not Neglect Its Healers

May 24 , 2025

Public hospitals have fallen eerily quiet lately. Corridors once crowded with patient...

Gallery

Parliament Approves New Cabinet Members

Oct 6 , 2021

Parliament Approves New Cabinet, Incorporates Opposition Leaders Lawmakers have approved today the nominations of 22 ministers, including three opposition leaders. Two MPs have voted against, while 12 abstained...

2020 in Posterity

Jan 5 , 2021

TIGRAY VOTES DESPITE "NULL & VOID" THREAT

Sep 9 , 2020

IN-PICTURE: LAUREATE'S RECEPTION  

Dec 14 , 2019

PM Abiy Ahmed (PhD) at a Gala Dinner Called for the Awarding of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize

May 6 , 2019

Faces, Voices of Addis Abeba

Apr 26 , 2019

Sunday With Eden

Before Help Can Be Summoned

Over the weekend, a parent shared the story of a friend's teenage son who died after unknowingly taking pills laced with fentanyl. “He was...

Tainted Trust Behind White Lies

Milk has long symbolized nourishment, growth especially for young children. In many families, including mine, it is more than a dietary stap...

Life Matters

The Curious Case of Barking Dogs

On multiple occasions, I have found myself watching the garbage collectors on their morning route, a subtle unease settling in. There is a s...

A Dangerous Beam in a Childs Hand

It was during an ordinary errand, shopping for socks, that an unexpected discovery occurred. A gleaming green beam drew my attention to a cu...