Business

Ethiopia Outlaws Birr-Based Crypto P2P Trading, Prepares Formal Digital-Asset Framework

Addis Ababa — Ethiopia’s central bank has formally prohibited peer-to-peer cryptocurrency transactions denominated in the local currency, tightening oversight of a fast-growing informal market that has operated largely outside the country’s regulated financial system. In a public notice issued Friday, the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) said any Birr-paired P2P trading conducted through digital-asset platforms,

February 27, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

Ethiopian Airlines Breaks Into Global Top 50 by Daily Flights

Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport is reinforcing its status as Africa’s primary aviation gateway, as new global data show Ethiopian Airlines ranking among the world’s most operationally active carriers — a rare position for an airline based on the continent. According to a February 2026 analysis of the Top 100 biggest airlines by average daily

February 27, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

Ethiopian Airlines Signs Landmark Deal to Turn Food Waste Into Energy

Addis Ababa — Ethiopian Airlines Group has signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding with Canada-based Provectus Enterprising Inc. and Ethiopia’s Fusion Global Solutions to convert aviation catering waste into biomass and other sustainable outputs, marking a significant step in the carrier’s push toward circular economy practices. The agreement, signed in the presence of Cheryl Urban,

February 23, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

Emirates to Introduce Airbus A350-900 on Addis Ababa Route from January 2027

Addis Ababa, Feb 23, 2026 — Dubai-based carrier Emirates is preparing a major upgrade to its service to Ethiopia, with plans to deploy its next-generation Airbus A350-900 aircraft on the Dubai–Addis Ababa route beginning January 1, 2027, according to recent airline scheduling updates. If implemented, the move would replace the Boeing 777-200LR currently serving the

February 23, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

House of Federation Rules Disputed Amhara–Tigray Areas to Vote Outside Tigray Region

Ethiopia’s House of Federation has decided that parliamentary elections in several disputed areas between the Amhara and Tigray regional states will be conducted outside the administrative jurisdiction of the Tigray region. The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) announced the decision in a statement issued today. The Board recalled that on January 22, 2018, it

February 23, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

Ethiopian Airlines to Launch Passenger Flights to Three New Domestic Airports by April

Addis Ababa — 18 February 2026 Ethiopian Airlines has announced plans to begin passenger services to three new domestic destinations—Negele Borena, Gore Metu, and Debre Markos—by mid-April 2026, following the inauguration of newly constructed airports in the towns. The carrier, Africa’s largest airline network operator, will operate three weekly flights to each destination. With the

February 18, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

A Structural Critique of Ethiopia’s 2026 FX Reforms

Kebour Ghenna On 11 February 2026, the National Bank of Ethiopia issued amendments that appear administrative on the surface but collectively rewire the country’s foreign exchange architecture. Examined structurally, each measure signals a deeper philosophical shift toward liberalization, decentralization, and capital mobility. If one were to assess these measures from a sovereignty-centered, anti-financialization perspective, the

February 16, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

AI Unipod Innovation Center Inaugurated in Addis Ababa

The AI Unipod Innovation Center, established through a partnership between the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute, Addis Ababa University, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Timbuktu Initiative, was officially inaugurated in Addis Ababa. Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Temesgen Tiruneh, attended the event as guest of honor. Speaking at the ceremony, the Deputy Prime

February 16, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

Africa Bets on “Buy Local” Health Industry to Cut Import Bill and Build Strategic Power

ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 16, 2026 — African leaders have thrown their weight behind one of the continent’s most ambitious industrial projects in decades: building a domestic health-products industry large enough to supply most of Africa’s medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and medical equipment within a generation. A declaration adopted on Feb. 14 on the sidelines of the

February 16, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

National Bank of Ethiopia Unveils Sweeping Amendments to Foreign Exchange Regulations

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) has issued a comprehensive amendment to its Foreign Exchange Regulation (FXD/04/2026), introducing wide-ranging reforms aimed at liberalizing the country’s tightly controlled forex regime, improving liquidity, and easing foreign currency access for businesses, investors, and individuals. The new directive signals a continued shift toward gradual foreign exchange reform, with expanded

February 11, 2026 • By Addis Insight