Business

Why Ethiopia’s 1964 Four-Dam Plan Failed — and Led to GERD

From Cascade to Colossus: The Strategic Evolution of Hydropower on Ethiopia’s Blue Nile From Cascade to Colossus: The Strategic Evolution of Hydropower on Ethiopia’s Blue Nile A data-led explainer on how Ethiopia shifted from a four-dam cascade (1964 USBR) to one mega-dam (GERD)—and what that means for power, politics, and the next wave of projects.

August 31, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

The Enduring Legacy of 1.5 Billion Birr: Al-Amoudi and Ethiopia’s GERD Dream

ADDIS ABABA — The Abay River glitters in the fading light, its waters swelling against the immense wall of concrete that now defines it. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a project that began as a dream, now stands ready for its most important moment. On September 9, 2025, Ethiopia will officially inaugurate the largest

August 31, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

Can Addis Ababa’s Hotels Handle 25,000 Climate Conference Guests?

Addis Ababa Hotel Market Faces 25,000-Delegate Climate Conference Test Addis Ababa’s Hotel Crunch: Can the City Host 25,000 Climate Delegates? Market Analysis • Addis Insight A data-led assessment of hotel inventory, ADR pressure, and the playbook to make Climate Week work—complete with charts and tables. Addis Ababa has long punched above its weight in diplomacy.

August 30, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

Addis Ababa Opens Landmark Goro–Bole Airport VIP Corridor

“Our dreams will come true through our relentless work every day, every hour, every minute,” declared Mayor Adanech Abebe today as Addis Ababa unveiled one of its most ambitious urban infrastructure projects yet—the Addis International Convention–Goro–Bole Airport VIP Terminal Corridor. A Major Step in Addis Ababa’s Urban Renewal The newly opened corridor is part of

August 30, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

Haile Hotel Shashemene Reopens After 600M Birr Expansion

Haile Hotel Shashemene Reopens After 600M Birr Expansion: 7 Big Upgrades Guests Will Love Haile Hotel Shashemene is back in business! After undergoing a large-scale renovation and expansion, the iconic hotel has reopened its doors with modern facilities, bigger capacity, and improved services. The hotel, part of Haile Hotels & Resorts Group, a subsidiary of

August 30, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

GERD Lake: Africa’s New Inland Sea (74 BCM, 1,874 km², 70 Islands)

Short take: Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has created GERD Lake—a water body big enough to rank among Africa’s giants, with the power to reshape hydrology, ecology, and livelihoods across the Blue Nile. Here’s what its size really means—and why it’s so interesting. How big is “big”? At full supply level (FSL)—about 640 m

August 30, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

Al-Amoudi’s Fortune Surges Back to $8B as Preem Battles Energy Market Headwinds

Ethiopia’s Richest Man Rebounds Ethiopian-born billionaire Mohammed Al-Amoudi has seen his fortune rebound sharply in 2025, climbing to nearly $8 billion after a series of strategic moves and despite mounting challenges at his flagship energy company, Preem AB. The turning point came in April when Al-Amoudi sold Svenska Petroleum Exploration, adding $2.2 billion to his

August 30, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

Investor Demand Doubles in Ethiopia’s 19.7B ETB Treasury Bill Auction

Addis Ababa – August 29, 2025 – Ethiopia’s latest Treasury Bill (T-bill) auction has shown booming investor interest, with bids coming in at more than double the amount offered, according to data released by CBE Capital Investment Bank. What Happened? On August 20, 2025, the National Bank of Ethiopia offered 19.7 billion birr worth of

August 29, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

Ethiopia to Ease Bank Lending Cap, Unlocking 1.3 Trillion Birr in Credit

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – August 29, 2025 – Ethiopia is set to lift the long-standing cap on bank lending starting next month, a move that could inject more than 1.3 trillion birr into the economy, according to officials at the Ministry of Finance. The policy shift, scheduled to take effect in September, will allow banks

August 29, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

How Ethiopia’s Economic Future Is Being Anchored in Its Peripheries

For decades, Ethiopia’s economy has been tethered to its central highlands. Addis Ababa’s industrial parks, Oromia’s coffee, and Tigray’s textiles once defined the country’s growth model. That geography now looks exhausted. Years of civil war, insurgency and political strife have hollowed out these “core” provinces, leaving shattered infrastructure, declining exports and weary investors. The government’s

August 28, 2025 • By Addis Insight