Ethiopia's Central Bank Dips a Toe in the Open Market Waters

Jul 13 , 2024


In a historic move to manage liquidity within the banking system, the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) held its first-ever open market operation (OMO) on July 11, 2024. The auction drew notable interest from the financial sector, with 16 bidders submitting nearly 20 billion Br. The central bank accepted the total amount of bids, reflecting the banking industry's robust engagement with this new monetary policy tool. The NBE's foray into OMOs is seen as a strategic measure to control the money supply, stabilise the financial system, and address liquidity imbalances. Analysts have stated the importance of such initiatives in maintaining economic stability, especially in a dynamic and evolving market environment like Ethiopia's. The inaugural auction involved a two-week deposit-taking operation, attracting substantial interest from financial institutions. According to the official announcement, the total amount of bids submitted by participants reached an impressive 19.970 billion Br. This level of engagement displayed the broad spectrum of financial entities eager to participate in the central bank's liquidity management framework. The fixed interest rate for this operation was set at 15pc, providing a competitive return for the participating institutions. The operation's start date coincided with the auction date, and the maturity date was scheduled for July 24, ensuring a two-week duration for the deposits.


Radar

Ethio Telecom Launches New Marketplace with Cash-Back Guarantee

Ethio Telecom has launched Zemen Gebeya, a nationwide digital marketplace integrated into the telebirr SuperApp, offering a secure platform for consumers and businesses to trade goods and services. The platform includes a built-in escrow service, allowing payments to be held temporarily until the buyer confirms delivery. If a product is not delivered or the buyer is dissatisfied, the payment is returned—creating a cash-back guarantee model designed to build trust in online transactions. Lau...


Radar

Ethiopia-Israel Business Forum Opens Doors to Investment Opportunities

The Ethiopia-Israel Business Forum took place last week at the Hyatt Regency Addis Abeba, bringing together Ethiopian government officials and investors from Israel. Officials presented a range of investment opportunities, while Israeli investors expressed interest in entering the market. The forum opened with remarks from the foreign ministers. Gedion Timotheos, Ethiopia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, used his address to extend a formal invitation to the Israeli business community, stressing...


Radar

National Bank Injects Millions Through Foreign Currency Auction

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) is continuing its push to stabilise the foreign exchange market, injecting millions of dollarss into the economy through a series of currency auctions. According to official data, the latest auction was held on May 7, 2025, during which 60 million dollars was supplied to 16 participating banks at an average exchange rate of 132.9643 Br per dollar. In the previous month, the NBE held two auctions: 70 million dollars was offered on April 16 to 26 banks at an...