District offices across the city have yet to begin providing services in issuing building permits, despite the Addis Abeba City Administration cabinet lifting an earlier moratorium.

Officials of districts say they await instructions from the Addis Abeba Land Development & Management Bureau to resume services, although the city administration had announced the resumption of land-related services under the Addis Abeba Construction Permit & Control Authority a month ago.

“The district office has not received any letter or circular instructing us to resume the service,” Serkalem Assefa, head of the Yeka District Land Management Office, told Fortune.

Jemal Aliye, head of the Addis Abeba Land Development & Management Bureau, confirmed that instructions had not been communicated to district offices. However, discussions with the Mayor's office are ongoing, he disclosed.

"The service will commence soon," said Jemal. "But it's hard to tell when it'll be."

City officials had blamed extensive illegal activities in the construction industry when they suspended all land-related services six months ago. They rescinded the order in December 2021 through a letter addressed to the Construction Permit & Control Authority, authorising it to begin land-related services, including the issuance of new building permits. The Authority has the mandate to issue and renew building permits in the capital. It delegates wereda offices to grant construction permits for buildings up to two-storeys high, while districts are responsible for up to 10 storeys.

The Authority under Setotaw Akale handles permits for buildings with more floors. He was head of the Addis Abeba Transport Bureau before his current appointment serving in the cabinet of Adanech Abiebie. A civil engineer with a law degree, Setotaw has served as a deputy manager of the Dessie town administration, 400Km north of Addis Abeba.

The construction boom in the city over the last decade and a half has led to a rapid increase in the number of permits issued by city officials. About 569 construction permits were issued in Addis Abeba two years ago. Over the nine months of last year, 6,800 new permits were issued, averaging 25 a day. The City Administration also renewed 1,236 permits during the same period.