Diaspora Lending Initiative Seeks to Unlock Revenue

Oct 5 , 2025


[ssba-buttons]

The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) has unveiled a 50 million Br loan facility for the diaspora, planning to boost remittance inflows. Abie Sano, the bank’s President, said Ethiopia could earn over 35 billion dollars by tapping the full potential of its remittance sector. Currently, formal channels account for only 7.2 billion billion dollars roughly 22 percent of the total potential, leaving the country with a 28 billion dollars shortfall in remittance revenue, Abie explained. To bridge this gap, CBE plans to support diaspora contributions through both remittances and investment opportunities. Abie highlighted that the bank has launched extensive reform initiatives to better serve the diaspora and is preparing to extend up to 50 billion Br in loans in 2025.


Radar

Bank of Abyssinia Signs Partnership with Droga Cooperative

Bank of Abyssinia has entered into a partnership agreement with Droga Health & Financial Savings and Credit Cooperative to provide financial support and services for its members. The agreement was signed yesterday at the Bank's headquarters. The deal aims to strengthen collaboration between the two institutions, enabling cooperative members to access tailored banking services. It was signed by Wosenyeleh Abera, Deputy CEO for Customer Relations and Marketing at the bank, and Zelalem Yilma...


Radar

Wegagen Introduces Real Time SWIFT Tracking

Wegagen Bank has launched a new mobile app feature enabling customers to track international SWIFT payments in real time. The bank is the first in Ethiopia to introduce an online SWIFT payment tracking system. By integrating SWIFT Global Payment Innovation, customers, particularly those involved in import-export trade, can monitor cross-border transactions using a Unique End-to-End Transaction Reference (UETR) directly from their smartphones. To use the service, customers select the SWIFT...


Radar

National ID, Zambia Partners to Expands Program Reach

The National ID Program has signed an agreement with Zambia's counterpart to provide consulting services for the development of software that will issue digital IDs. It is the first time the institution has extended its expertise beyond national borders, a sign of growing recognition for its rapid progress. Program officials described the partnership as a milestone in their effort to position themselves as a regional player in digital transformation. The collaboration is expected to center...