Private-Sector Confidence Grows as Foreign Investment Climbs

Aug 23 , 2025

Ethiopia attracted four billion dollars in foreign direct investment during the 2024/25 fiscal year, up 2.2 percent from the previous year. The investment authority credited policy reforms, digitised services, and broader access to strategic sectors for the growth. Authorities issued 544 new and expansion permits, with foreign investors taking the largest share. The import-export trade sector, recently opened to foreign participation, secured 61 licenses. Fourteen industrial parks were upgraded to Special Economic Zones, generating 123 million dollars in export earnings. Local industries substituted imports worth one billion dollars. The "Invest in the Country" forum drew 1.6 billion dollars in commitments from 700 investors. Officials said legal reforms and public-private dialogues are boosting confidence in private-sector-led growth.