Commercial Bank of Ethiopia Announces New Service Fee Adjustments Effective September 28, 2025
ADDIS ABABA – The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) has announced another round of service fee adjustments, effective
September 28, 2025 (Meskerem 19, 2018 EC). This follows last year’s revision on July 26, 2024, when the bank last updated its tariff schedule.
“It is known that our bank will inform its customers in advance when it makes service fee adjustments. Accordingly, we would like to inform our customers that our bank will make service fee adjustments effective from September 28, 2025,” the bank said in its notice.
Key Changes Compared to 2024
| Service | Previous Rate (July 2024) | New Rate (Sept 2025) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Withdrawals | Free up to ETB 1,000; ETB 5 (1,001–10,000); ETB 10 (10,001+) | Raised thresholds & higher caps (per 2025 circular) | ↑ Increase |
| Cheque Issuance | ETB 3–15 depending on value | Revised upwards for mid–large cheques | ↑ Increase |
| Mobile/Wallet Transfers | ETB 5–15 depending on value | Higher flat rate for transfers over 10k | ↑ Increase |
| RTGS (Large Transfers) | ETB 100 domestic; ETB 150 international | Raised by ~50% (2025 tariff) | ↑ Increase |
Why It Matters
- Business clients handling mid-to-large transactions will feel the impact most, particularly in cheque processing and RTGS payments.
- Retail customers will see modest increases in withdrawal and wallet transfer charges.
- CBE, which serves over 38 million customers and controls 60% of Ethiopia’s banking market, says the adjustments are necessary to sustain digitalization, expand branch networks, and cover inflationary costs.
