A mountain of plastic takes a pit stop. As the sweeps during the day in Addis Abeba, an Isuzu truck loaded with tightly bundled sacks of discarded plastic bottles rolls through a fuel station, carrying the leftovers of a city’s daily consumption on its back. The towering cargo, tied together like an oversized puzzle of waste, pauses between pumps and traffic as commuters move around it. In a scene where fuel powers journeys and plastic tells a story of what those journeys leave behind, the truck becomes a moving reminder of the city’s struggle to turn waste into a second life.
Author: Digital Editor
DANCING COLOURS
Under the bright Addis Abeba sun, a burst of colour, rhythm and tradition takes centre stage. Dressed in vibrant cultural attire, performers bring movement and music together at the new Addis Abeba City Administration Theatre Houses Enterprise Children and Youth Theatre in Flamingo, on Africa Avenue, transforming an ordinary public space into a lively showcase of heritage. With shields raised, feathers swaying and traditional steps echoing through the crowd, the scene feels like a conversation between the past and present, where every gesture carries a story and every outfit adds a splash of history to the celebration. The compound showcases banners inviting parents to enrol their children in summer classes in acting, dancing, vocals and other art forms.
SCULPTED MEMORY
Under grey skies, in front of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), inside Addis Abeba Park along Menelik II Avenue, stands a striking tribute to the late Hachalu Hundessa. Mounted on horseback, the statue captures the singer and activist in a symbolic pose, holding a microphone, shield and spear, a blend of artistry, courage and memory. Surrounded by lush greenery and quiet pathways, the monument feels less like a silent figure of stone and more like a storyteller, carrying melodies, struggles and a legacy that continues to echo through generations.
Customs Authorities Intercept Major Alleged Contraband Shipment Worth 422 Million Br
The Customs Commission seized alleged contraband goods worth more than 422 million Br during inspections conducted between June 25 and June 30, 2026. The haul included clothing, electronics, ammunition, construction materials, coffee, vehicle spare parts, cosmetics, khat, narcotics, minerals, livestock and foreign currency.
The Addis Abeba Airport, Moyale and Awash customs branches recorded the largest seizures, valued at 115 million Br, 93 million Br and 61 million Br, respectively. Authorities also apprehended 21 suspects and impounded 15 vehicles allegedly linked to the smuggling operations.
Hijira Bank Posts Record Growth as Assets Reach 31.45 Billion Br
Hijira Bank posted 3.55 billion Br in income in 2025/26, exceeding its combined earnings over the previous four years, while gross profit reached 1.9 billion Br. Assets rose 115pc to 31.45 billion Br, deposits doubled to 24 billion Br, and capital increased 202pc to 7.45 billion Br.
Digital transaction value surged 86pc to 41.72 billion Br, foreign currency earnings reached 158 million dollars, and total banking transactions hit 615.39 billion Br. The bank also disbursed 1.5 billion Br in collateral-free digital financing.
The bank said the removal of the National Bank of Ethiopia’s( NBE) lending cap significantly contributed to its strong financial performance during the year.
Gadaa Bank Offers One Million Shares to Public Investors
Gadaa Bank has offered one million shares to the public at 1,050 Br per share following approval from the Ethiopian Securities Exchange (ESX) on June 22, 2026.
The share sale keeks to expand the bank’s capital base and strengthen shareholder value.
The offering will run until September 17, 2026, and is open to existing shareholders and new investors who meet ESX requirements.
It is open to existing shareholders and new investors who meet ESX requirements.
Addis Abeba Caps Annual Rent Increases at 11.5pc
Addis Abeba has approved an 11.5pc ceiling on annual rent increases for privately owned residential properties for the 2026/2027 fiscal year under the city’s Residential Rent Control Proclamation.
The cap applies to renewed lease agreements, with the registration of landlord-tenant contract renewals commencing on July 8, 2026, at housing administration offices across all sub-cities.
The adjustment follows a citywide assessment of rental market conditions and residents’ ability to pay. It is intended to curb arbitrary and unlawful rent increases, ease cost-of-living pressures on tenants, promote housing stability and ensure landlords receive returns aligned with prevailing economic conditions.
Ethiopia, South Korea Expand Development Finance Pipeline
South Korea and Ethiopia are preparing a new pipeline of projects under the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF), while also working to fast-track the implementation of existing investments worth about
Officials from the Ministry of Finance, the Korea Exim Bank (KEXIM) and Project Execution Agencies reviewed implementation progress, coordination challenges and project delivery, with discussions also focusing on new investments aligned with Ethiopia’s Homegrown Economic Reform Agenda.
The EDCF finances projects in energy, roads, irrigation, health and higher education through highly concessional loans with extended grace periods and long repayment maturities, making it one of Ethiopia’s key sources of development finance.
Awash Insurance Posts Double-Digit Growth Across Insurance Lines
Awash Insurance recorded gross written premiums (GWP) of more than six billion Br in the 2025/26 fiscal year, reflecting a 35pc year-on-year increase.
Growth was driven by expansion across non-life, life, health, Takaful and micro-insurance businesses, strengthening the company’s position in key insurance segments.
The insurer continues to expand its product offerings and service reach as the country’s insurance market grows.
Awash Insurance provides non-life, life, health, Takaful and micro-insurance products as part of efforts to broaden insurance access and support the growth of Ethiopia’s insurance sector.
City Raises Regulatory Bar for Construction Mineral Producers
Construction mineral producers will face stricter licensing requirements, tighter environmental standards and greater regulatory scrutiny under a new government directive introduced by the Addis Abeba City Environmental Protection Authority.
The Construction Minerals Licensing Directive raises the threshold for obtaining production licences for construction materials such as crushed stone, gravel, sand and river aggregates. Applicants will be required to secure legally recognised land-use rights, obtain approved environmental and social impact assessments, submit feasibility studies and provide financial guarantees to cover post-mining land rehabilitation before operations can begin.
The rules tighten the requirements for mining permits by strengthening environmental and land-use safeguards while limiting licence terms to five years for black stone and two years for other construction minerals.
Extraction will be prohibited within designated buffer zones surrounding residential areas, industrial parks, rivers and other water bodies, electricity transmission corridors, protected ecosystems, cemeteries, religious institutions, and sites of historical or cultural significance, substantially reducing the land available for future quarry development.
The directive also expands regulatory oversight by introducing digital licensing and record-keeping systems, strengthening field inspections, and intensifying enforcement against illegal quarrying and the trade in unlawfully extracted construction minerals.
AfDB Launches Africa’s Chief Economists Network for Policy Coordination
In the city that hosts Africa’s largest development finance institution, a new platform with ambitions to shape the continent’s economic future was born last week.
Launched in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the headquarters of the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Chief Economists Network seeks to become the continent’s collective economic brain trust, bringing together those who influence national economic policy to confront Africa’s most pressing challenges with home-grown solutions.
Spearheaded by the AfDB, the network will convene chief economic advisers to African governments, central bank governors, senior finance ministry officials, think tank leaders and selected leading economists from across the continent.
By placing the continent’s top economic minds around one table, the initiative aims to forge a common understanding of Africa’s economic priorities and promote coordinated policy responses to recurring crises.
The network was unveiled during the African Economic Conference held last week in Abidjan.
It will be chaired by Kevin Chika Urama(Prof.), the AfDB’s Chief Economist and Vice President for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management, who is expected to steer the forum as a platform for policy dialogue, knowledge sharing and evidence-based economic decision-making across Africa.
A Sweet Name Returns, on Machinery from the Past
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