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Ghanaian Pharma Firm to Join Market

Mar 13 , 2021

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Haltons Limited, a subsidiary of the Ghanian pharmaceutical firm mPharma, franchised with Belayab Pharmaceuticals Plc to make Ethiopia the eighth market in Sub-Saharan Africa where mPharma has a presence, including Kenya and Rwanda. Through the franchise, mPharma and Belayab Pharmaceuticals aim to open two pharmacies in Addis Abeba in 2021. Under the partnership, each pharmacy launched will offer Mutti, mPharma’s health membership programme, to patients. The programme will avail discounts and financing options for pharmaceutical products. Belayab Pharmaceuticals is part of the Belayab Group, which owns companies such as Belayab Foods, the official franchisee of Pizza Hut and Coldstone Creamery, Belayab Motors, Belayab Cable and Golden Tulip hotel.

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Amendment Expands Access for Foreign Traders

Foreign participation in Ethiopia's wholesale, retail, import, and export trade sectors has come under renewed focus as the Ethiopian Investment Board(EIB) approved a significant amendment to Directive No. 1001/2016  in its meeting on May 23, 2025. The amendment, proposed by the Ethiopian Investment Commission(EIC), focuses on refining the legal framework governing foreign investment in these sectors. The decision is part of a broader strategy to enhance the country's appeal as an investment...

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NBE Sets Four Percent Ceiling on Foreign Exchange Fees

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) issued a new foreign exchange market directive on May 20, 2025, that caps commercial banks' forex service fees at a maximum of four percent. Banks are instructed to adapt competitive, transparent, and streamlined pricing for all forex-related services. Effective May 26, 2025, total charges for purchasing foreign exchange whether for imports, service payments, or cash note purchases must not exceed the newly set limit. The directive also prohibits banks f...

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SantimPay Launches Zero-fee Digital Remittance Platform

SantimPay has rolled out FrankRemit, first fully integrated, zero-fee digital remittance platform, in partnership with Bank of Abyssinia(BOA). The service smoothly connects all commercial banks and major mobile money providers, including Telebirr, M-Pesa, and CBE Birr which is a first of its kind in the country. FrankRemit is expected to revolutionise how the Ethiopian diaspora sends money home. Developed locally and tested over the past two weeks with successful transfers from multiple count...

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