Business

Ethiopia Proposes Raising Top Income Tax Threshold to 14,000 Birr

A new bill tabled in Ethiopia’s House of People’s Representatives aims to increase the threshold for the highest income tax rate, moving the point at which the 35 percent tax applies from 10,900 birr to 14,000 birr. The current top rate and its threshold were established by the 2008 Income Tax Proclamation, which set the 35 percent

July 9, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Uncategorized

China Diversifies Soybean Sources: Ethiopia Joins Approved Importers List

China has officially approved the import of Ethiopian soybeans, a strategic move indicating its intent to diversify protein sources amid ongoing trade tensions with the United States. The announcement from China Customs, reported by News Central, confirms that Ethiopian soybeans gained entry into the Chinese market last week. Traditionally reliant on soybean imports from Brazil

July 8, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Politics

Ethiopia’s Parliament Repeals Controversial Immunity for Undercover Investigators Committing Crimes Except Murder

Parliament has repealed a controversial legal provision that exempted undercover investigators from criminal liability for offenses committed in the line of duty—excluding murder. Critics argued the clause could be interpreted too broadly and undermine the rule of law. The provision was originally part of the Proclamation on the Prevention and Control of the Crime of

July 7, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

Ethiopian Airlines Set to Launch First-Ever Flights to Australia

Ethiopian Airlines is preparing to launch passenger flights to Australia—the only continent it has not served in its eighty-year history. The new service will connect Addis Ababa with Melbourne, forging a long-awaited link between Africa and Australia while boosting trade, tourism, and investment flows. Given the route’s long distance, the airline is expected to deploy

July 7, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

Ethiopia’s Securities Exchange Set to Begin Official Trading This Week

Ethiopia’s much-anticipated Securities Exchange (ESX) is poised to launch full-scale trading next week, marking a watershed moment in the country’s financial modernization journey. This milestone follows successful pilot transactions conducted just two weeks ago, paving the way for a fully operational, regulated securities market that promises to reshape investment and economic growth in Africa’s second-most-populous

July 7, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Politics

Contesting the Politics of Statistics in Ethiopia

By Eyob Asfaw On July 3, 2025, PM Abiy addressed the House of Peoples’ Representatives, where he shared his quantitative figures quite liberally. The question of what these figures mean—and what they do not—captivated my mind, as I want to make sense of them as a student of Development. It is not uncommon to build

July 5, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Uncategorized

Awash Bank Posts Record 22 Billion Birr Annual Profit, Signaling Strength Amid Economic Reforms

Awash Bank, one of Ethiopia’s largest private banks, has reported a record-breaking annual profit before tax of over 22 billion birr for the 2024/25 financial year, underscoring the bank’s strong resilience and adaptability in an environment of ongoing macroeconomic reforms. The performance marks a milestone not only for the bank but also for Ethiopia’s evolving

July 2, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

CBE Achieves Historic ETB 1.69 Trillion in Total Deposits, Fueling Confidence in Ethiopia’s Banking Sector

The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE), the country’s largest state-owned bank, announced on Tuesday that it has reached a record-breaking ETB 1.69 trillion in total deposits, marking an unprecedented milestone in the history of Ethiopia’s banking industry. The figure represents a remarkable increase of over ETB 515 billion during the 2024/25 fiscal year alone—an annual

July 2, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

Ethiopian Parliament Approves Proclamation Granting Foreigners the Right to Own Immovable Property

Addis Ababa, June 24, 2017— Ethiopia’s House of People’s Representatives has formally approved a new proclamation granting foreign nationals the right to own immovable residential properties, marking a significant policy shift aimed at attracting foreign investment in the country’s housing sector. The legislation, which passed after thorough debate in Parliament, was presented by the House’s

July 1, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

Safaricom Ethiopia’s Active Customer Base Surpasses 10 Million

Addis Ababa, June 24, 2017 — Safaricom Ethiopia has announced that its 90-day active subscriber base has reached 10 million customers nationwide, marking a significant milestone nearly four years after receiving its telecommunications license. Wim Vanhelleputte, CEO of Safaricom Ethiopia, shared the update during a press briefing, highlighting the company’s substantial contribution to Ethiopia’s telecom

July 1, 2025 • By Addis Insight