Coop Bank Opens Full-fledged IFB Branches

Cooperative Bank of Oromia inaugurated two full-fledged interest-free banking (IFB) branches in the capital at Ayer Tena and Bole Michael on December 18, 2019.


Coop Bank Opens Full-fledged IFB Branches

Cooperative Bank of Oromia inaugurated two full-fledged interest-free banking (IFB) branches in the capital at Ayer Tena and Bole Michael on December 18, 2019. The Bank, which has 389 branches, becomes the third to open a full-fledged interest-free branch next to Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) and Awash Bank. CBE inaugurated the first full-fledged IFB branch around Bole Michael on September 7, 2019. It also opened four more full-fledged IFB branches in September and October. Awash Bank started IFB services with its new branch dubbed "Ikhlas" in Bethel area. In 2013 the National Bank of Ethiopia issued the directive that limited IFB to a window service. Following that, 11 of the 17 private and state-owned banks had been providing the service. However, last June, the National Bank of Ethiopia issued the directive for the establishment of full-fledged interest-free banking (IFB), on June 18, 2019. Cooperative Bank generated 3.7 billion Br in income last year and disbursed a total of 24.4 billion Br in loans and advances.


Radar

Electricity Bills Get the VAT Jolt

The new Value Added Tax (VAT) has begun implementation on electricity consumption and various service fees affecting customers who use more than 200 kilowatt hours of electricity per month. Based on a directive from the Ministry of Finance, the tax will be applied to the excess amount of electricity consumption above 200 kilowatt hours. The Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU) began implementing the VAT on bills starting from November though both prepaid and postpaid customers will have to pay VAT a...


Radar

World Bank Greases Financial Overhaul

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Radar

Gadaa Bank Expands Reach, Faces Lending Constraints

Gadaa Bank closed its first full fiscal year of operations with a net profit of 90.2 million Br. The 18-month-old Bank held its annual general assembly at Millenium Hall on Africa Avenue last week where the board announced that during the year, the Bank opened 15 branches and now has 85 operational branches. “Due to recently enacted policy measures on credit by NBE and unmet resource mobilization during the fiscal year, the Bank was unable to make loan disbursements,” stated Wolde Bulto,...