Unlicensed E-commerce Sites Prompt Timid Digital World

Mar 11 , 2023


Only one website is legally registered with an e-commerce license in the country leaving out the current online markets unrecognized by the Ministry of Trade & Regional Integration. According to Jirata Nemera, head of licensing and regulatory at the Ministry, CropConex which offers a coffee transaction digital platform is the only online service provider officially registered under e-commerce service. CropConex was licensed as the first e-Commerce platform operator on November 2022. There are over 20 e-commerce websites in Ethiopia that are commonly referred to as e-commerce. Despite the Digital Ethiopia 2025 plan of the current administration, it seems the primitive electronic commerce sector has not even managed to gain proper licensing, as most of the sites offering the services operate under a commission license and delivery service license. This same principle is used by taxi-hailing electronic platforms who have to get a transport and a business license separately. The rapidly increasing internet usage nationally will require a legislative framework for businesses that develop around it according to several experts. Jirata said the essence of buying and selling goods or services and executing money and data transfer using the internet has been lost as trust is not built between end-users and service providers. The currently burgeoning expanded VAT proclamation will see to a tax on all digital service providers, which will be difficult to achieve if a proper classification of the businesses does not transpire. According to a report by the International Trade Administration, digital commerce is in its infancy in Ethiopia compared to its large population size. Other African countries strived and are far ahead in helping e-commerce, and online transactions flourish. Kenya legislated its Electronic Transactions Bill in 2007, and the Information & Communication Bill the following year.


Radar

Parliament Reviews Bill Allowing Foreign Property Ownership

A draft proclamation that would allow foreigners to own or occupy immovable property in Ethiopia has been submitted to parliament by the Council of Ministers. Designed to attract foreign investment, the draft law plans to ensure that Ethiopian citizens retain their right to land ownership and use. According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office, the draft was among six agenda items discussed and approved during the Council's regular session held on May 2, 2025. The proclamation is e...


Radar

Speeding in the Spotlight as New Safety Drive Begins

The Road Safety and Insurance Fund Service has stated that drivers are responsible for 68 percent of traffic accidents in Ethiopia, with the remainder mainly caused by pedestrians and road conditions. On this topic, the service launched a one-month mass media campaign on last week focused on raising awareness about speeding, the leading cause of traffic accidents. The campaign, under the motto "Slow Down, Speeding Ruins Lives," plans to shed light on the dangers of speeding. Yohannes Lemma, E...


Radar

Askari Metals Secures Five Gold Licenses in Untapped Adola Belt

Askari Metals has acquired 100pc of Rift Valley Metals, gaining five gold exploration licences covering 460sqkm in Ethiopia's Adola Greenstone Belt, part of the southern Arabian-Nubian Shield, a mineral-rich but underexplored region. "The exploration areas—Sakaro, Sakaro West, Lega Dembi South, Megado, and Wayu Boda—lie near Ethiopia's top gold mines, including Lega Dembi and Sakaro, which have produced over three million ounces of gold. The area is known for orogenic gold systems hosted...