Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH) has signed an agreement with CCI Global to advance Ethiopia’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry, with plans to establish a purpose-built facility in Addis Ababa.

The first phase of the project involves an investment of approximately USD 26 million and will include a G+4 facility with an initial capacity of 3,000 workstations. The development will feature high-speed connectivity, reliable power supply and modern employee facilities to support international BPO operations.

CCI Global, which serves more than 80 international clients and employs over 15,000 people across its operations, is expected to become the anchor operator of the facility.

The project is expected to create approximately 3,000 jobs initially, with employment potentially increasing to 10,000 as operations expand and transition to a three-shift model.

EIH CEO Dr. Brook Taye said the partnership aims to translate Ethiopia’s potential in the global BPO market into investment, foreign-currency earnings and employment opportunities. CCI Global’s Global COO, Mark Chana, highlighted Ethiopia’s talent pool and the government’s understanding of the sector’s potential.

The facility’s architectural design is being led by Ethiopian architect Rahel Shawl, founder and principal of RAAS Architects, while Elmi Olindo Contractors Plc will undertake construction.

The partnership comes amid growing global demand for outsourced business services, as companies seek cost-efficient and scalable service delivery platforms. Ethiopia is positioning itself to attract a share of this market through its young workforce, competitive labour costs and proximity to European and Middle Eastern markets.

Beyond job creation, the development is expected to support the growth of Ethiopia’s digital services exports, generate foreign currency and strengthen the country’s participation in global service value chains.