The National Bank of Ethiopia has announced an extension of operating hours for its Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system, a key component of the country’s financial infrastructure.
In a directive issued on March 17, 2026, the central bank confirmed that the RTGS system under the Ethiopian Automated Transfer System (EATS) will now operate from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM on all business days, effective March 23, 2026. This marks a two-hour extension from the previous daily schedule.
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EATS, described as a systemically important financial market infrastructure, facilitates real-time, secure fund transfers among financial institutions and ensures payment finality within the economy. The platform currently operates six days a week and plays a central role in maintaining liquidity flows across the banking system.
The central bank said the decision comes in response to ongoing developments in Ethiopia’s digital payments ecosystem and the growing demand for more efficient liquidity circulation. By extending RTGS hours, the bank aims to improve transaction efficiency and better support increasing payment volumes.
All EATS participants have been instructed to prepare for the extended hours by ensuring adequate staffing and strengthening IT infrastructure to maintain seamless payment processing throughout the longer operating window.
The directive was issued in line with Article 66(1) of the EATS rule, reinforcing the central bank’s broader push toward modernizing Ethiopia’s financial system and enhancing the reliability of its payment infrastructure.
