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.


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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...


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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...


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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...