FORTUNE+ VIDEO SPONSORED CONTENTS ADVERTORIALS FORTUNE AUDIO Fortune Careers TRADE AFRICA Election 2026 New TIME REMAINING UNTIL ETHIOPIA’S NATIONAL ELECTION 0Days 0Hours 0Minutes 0Seconds



CLEAR COASTS


CLEAR COASTS

Roads get cleared as a fleet of vehicles carrying diplomats makes its way to the African Union Summit held in Addis Abeba. The capital fills up with attendees from all over the world every year, ushering in a public transportation debacle for most urbanites. Motorcycles were banned from the streets this year, while heavy-duty vehicles were restricted to selected roads. Pleas for sweeping amendments to the global financial architecture were ubiquitous in this year's summit as several African countries grapple with distressful debt situations. Ethiopia recently missed a 33 million dollar coupon payment on its Eurobond, which resulted in several credit agencies downgrading its rating to junk territory.

[ssba-buttons]

In-Picture

FUEL REALITY

A gas station attendant in Addis Abeba's Lideta District on Chad Street stands between stacks of empty oil drums directing a steady stream of vehicles, while another man stands in front of him hands behind his head with visible frustration on his face. As motorists queue for fuel, the forecourt reflects more than routine commerce. It has become a daily stage where shifting fuel supplies, retail price adjustments, and the city's relentless demand converge...


In-Picture

GREEN WHEELS

A row of electric scooters stands ready for commuters at Bole Brass, Cameroon Street, attracting the attention of curious young onlookers that pay 300 Br per hour. Sleek, silent and requiring little more than a charged battery, As Addis Abeba pushes forward with massive corridor development projects and searches for cleaner, fuel-free alternatives to ease urban congestion, electric micromobility platforms are steadily becoming part of the city's evolving transport matrix. Whether they remain a n...


In-Picture

CORN CHORUS

A young vendor grips a handheld microphone, calling out prices over a towering pile of freshly harvested maize at a roadside tent market in Gofa Sefer. His amplified voice cuts through the noise of traffic and competing traders, turning a basic sales pitch into a survival tool in a crowded urban economy. As seasonal harvests flood into Addis Abeba, informal and semi-formal vendors are increasingly leaning on low-cost audio technology to seize attention and convert passersby into buyers. The m...