Your weekly shot of Ethiopia’s freshest business, tech, and finance news.
Before you sip your buna, catch up on the biggest shifts and smart plays shaking Ethiopia.
Macroeconomy & Public Policy
Addis Goes Big — Record City Budget Approved
The Addis Ababa City Council just dropped a historic 350.13 billion Birr budget for the 2018 fiscal year (EC) — a whopping 45% jump from last year.
Where it’s going:
- 246.3B Birr: Capital projects (hello, infrastructure!)
- 91.8B Birr: Recurrent expenses
- 12B Birr: Rainy-day fund
- How it’s funded: Mostly taxes, plus some loans & grants. ENA
Tax Relief (Sort Of)
A draft bill proposes upping the tax-free salary bracket from 600 Birr to 2,000 Birr and shifting the top tax threshold to 14,000 Birr. Tax rates stay the same (10–35%), but the move’s aimed at easing living costs and bumping tax-to-GDP up to 11% over four years. Addis Insight
Ethiopia’s Capital Market Goes Live
It’s official: Ethiopia has launched its first securities exchange (ESX)! The debut featured trading of T-bills and marks a digital leap for the nation’s financial sector.
Goal: List 90 companies over the next 10 years
Result: Welcome to the modern era of finance. Read here
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Tech & Innovation
AI Gets a Birr Boost
The Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute is getting a 42% funding bump—now at 1.13 billion Birr. With tools like AI-powered cancer detection already in play, the government is eyeing big gains in health, agriculture, and security.
But: Limited data, weak infrastructure, and talent gaps remain hurdles. Shega Media
Ethiopia’s Super App Era Adds Other Player
Say hello to Nibtera, Nib Bank’s newly launched super app for all your banking, payments, and mobile needs. It’s the centerpiece of their 3-year digital transformation strategy.
Business, Meet Zoorya
A new cloud-based business platform—Zoorya—is here to streamline Ethiopian commerce. Built by Dashen Bank, Ethio telecom, and ETTA Solutions, it bundles ERP, POS, and cash registers for businesses across hospitality, retail, and manufacturing.
Think of it as Ethiopia’s digital HQ. Read here
Creators, It’s Tax Time
Ethiopia wants a 15% slice of what you make on YouTube, TikTok, and friends. The new proposal classifies digital earnings as business income.
Must-haves: TIN number, self-reporting, and platforms reporting payments. Read here
Startups & Entrepreneurship
TVET Incubators Incoming
The Ministry of Labor and Skills is launching startup hubs in 100 TVET colleges to power up youth innovation.
Expect:
- Training & mentorship
- Startup ecosystem policy
- Legal & financial barrier busters
Fun stat: 42% of startup ideas from last year’s innovation camps moved to the next phase. 2Merkato
Trade & Industry
Soymeal Meets The Dragon
China just greenlit soymeal imports from Ethiopia, effective July 3, 2025.
Yes, volumes will be small (for now), but Ethiopia now joins soymeal powerhouses like Brazil, Argentina, and Russia. Reuters
Coffee > Expectations
Ethiopia earned $2.24 billion from coffee exports in just 11 months—beating targets by a mile and raking in $1B more than last year.
Top buyers: Germany, Saudi Arabia, U.S., China, Japan
Next moves: Crack down on illegal trade + boost quality & marketing. Addis Insight
Aviation
Ethiopian Airlines Expands Again
Africa’s sky king is spreading its wings:
New Route 1: Porto, Portugal (via Madrid) – launched July 2
New Route 2: Hanoi, Vietnam (via Dhaka) – first gateway to Vietnam
Fun fact: The airline now serves 28 Asian cities and 22 in Europe.
Still crowned: Best Airline in Africa by Skytrax — for the 8th year running.
Energy & Electric Vehicles
EV Market: Hot Cars, Cool Prices
Prices of electric vehicles (EVs) in Ethiopia are dropping by up to 1M Birr as Chinese imports flood the market.
- BYD Seagull: Down to 2.7M Birr
- Used models: Starting at 2.2M Birr
Why? - ICE vehicle import ban
- Tax breaks
- Over 100,000 EVs imported since 2023
But here’s the shocker: Just 60 charging stations exist.
The fix: 2,200 charging stations planned by 2030 + local assembly picking up (shoutout to Belayneh Kinde’s Debre Berhan factory). Birrmetrics
Banking & Finance
Deposit Insurance Fund Grows to 13.8B Birr
The Ethiopian Deposit Insurance Fund (EDIF) has collected nearly 14B Birr in premiums from banks and microfinance players.
Its job: Act as a safety net to protect savers if a bank fails. ENA
US Aid Stays, With New Boss
The U.S. will keep aid flowing to Ethiopia, but USAID operations now report to the State Department.
Why? More oversight + policy alignment.
What’s safe: 89% of humanitarian aid and 77% of total support will be restored from USAID operation. Read more
Final Sip
Ethiopia’s economic gears are grinding faster than ever — from coffee windfalls to capital market revolutions and EV takeovers. But behind the sparkle, infrastructure gaps, policy tweaks, and capacity needs remain ever-present.
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Stay curious, stay caffeinated
And as always, crush your week ahead!
— Written by the StockMarket.et Newsroom
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