ArifPay Inks Agreement with Abay Bank

Oct 30 , 2021


ArifPay, a fintech company, and Abay Bank inked an agreement last week to launch a mobile point of sales (mPOS) service. An m-POS service is implemented through smartphones or tablets that can perform the tasks of a cash register or a traditional POS machine, wirelessly enabling bank account holders to make payments from ATM cards issued by any bank. The central bank issued a directive last year allowing non-financial institutions to operate as payment instrument issuers, including the supply of m-POS card reader devices. Abay Bank recorded profits of a little over half a billion Birr in the 2019/20 fiscal year, while its paid-up capital jumped 30pc to 2.17 billion Br during the same period.


Radar

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...


Radar

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...


Radar

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...