Oromia Insurance Makes Historic Payout to Farmers


Oromia Insurance S.C. facilitated a 39 million Br payout in claims to Amhara Regional State farmers who suffered crop losses due to pest and drought. The initiative involved key stakeholders including the World Food Program (WFP), the Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI), Pula Advisors, Agriculture and Finance ministries, and German development organisations. Spearheaded by Pula Advisors, the program has reached over 122,000 smallholder farmers, providing insurance against climate risks and diseases. With an ambitious target of 7.5 million farmers, the project offers comprehensive initial coverage, focusing on crucial inputs like fertiliser. Dagmawi Haile, Pula's Country Manager, anticipates expansion into Oromia and Tigray regional states in the coming year. He said the initiative has the potential to improve insurance penetration in Ethiopia's agricultural sector, which currently contributes less than one percent to the GDP. "As more farmers participate, premiums will decrease," he told Fortune.


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Ethiopias Capital Market Sets Sights on Talent Strategy

A new strategy to strengthen the human capital foundation of Ethiopia's emerging capital market is taking shape. Led by FSD Ethiopia in partnership with iCapital Africa Institute and the Nairobi Securities Exchange, the initiative is focused on building the skills, expertise, and institutional capacity needed to support the Ethiopian Capital Market Authority (ECMA). The second round of consultations took place on April 23 at Best Western Hotel, drawing key stakeholders including ECMA Director...


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National Bank Upgrades Core Financial System to Global Standard

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) has officially upgraded the Ethiopian Automated Transfer System (EATS), the country's Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) platform, to align with the ISO 20022 messaging standard, effective March 29, 2025. Handling more than 3.5 million transactions a year worth over five trillion Br, EATS is a critical component of the country's financial ecosystem. It enables real-time, high-value settlements among 35 financial institutions, including commercial banks and m...


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Spice Supply Hits 41,000tns in Nine Months

The South West Ethiopia Coffee, Tea, and Spices Authority has announced that over 41,000tns of spices were supplied to the central market in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, reflecting the region's growing role in the country's spice economy. The region is cultivating spices on more than 90,000 hectares of land, with major contributions coming from turmeric, cardamom, ginger, and black pepper. For the full fiscal year, the authority aims to supply more than 56,000tns of spice...