House Legislates Excise Tax Law

Feb 15 , 2020


[ssba-buttons]

Lawmakers finally legislated the controversial excise tax law on February 13, 2020, with two opposing and seven votes abstaining. The new law, which aims at doubling the current excise tax contribution to GDP to 1.4pc, was legislated during an urgent parliament session that was attended by 320 MPs and was held after the members went for recess. The bill, which proposed a five percent minimum and a 500pc maximum excise tax, has been in the making for the past year by the Ministry of Finance. During the legislation, a number of changes were made from the first draft. The law imposed 30pc plus eight Birr a pack excise tax on cigarettes, an increase from 30pc plus six Birr. Imported cars that are between one and two years old are subjected to an excise tax of 55pc, whereas cars between two to four years old are subjected to 105pc excise. Cars that have served more than four years but not greater than seven years are subjected to a 205pc rate. Second-hand cars with over seven years are subjected to taxation of 405pc. The law also increased tax on beers with alcoholic content of up to seven percent to 40pc or 11 Br per litre, whichever is higher.


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...