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Addis Ababa, January 6, 2026 — Ethiopia’s central bank on Tuesday announced the results of its latest foreign exchange auction, with the weighted average exchange rate settling at Birr 154.8729 per US dollar, reflecting continued adjustment in the country’s managed FX regime.
According to a statement issued by the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE), a total of 32 commercial banks successfully secured foreign currency in Foreign Exchange Auction No. 14, which was conducted earlier today.
The auction forms part of the central bank’s ongoing efforts to improve price discovery in the foreign exchange market, ease FX shortages, and gradually narrow the gap between official and parallel market rates.
The NBE confirmed that the next foreign exchange auction will take place in two weeks, in line with its announced auction calendar, signaling policy continuity and predictability for the banking sector and market participants.
Since the introduction of the auction-based mechanism, authorities have emphasized that regular FX sales, combined with broader macroeconomic reforms, are intended to stabilize the birr, support import-dependent sectors, and strengthen external sector management.
