Business

Commercial Bank of Ethiopia Launches StarPay, Advancing the Country’s Digital Banking Push

The (CBE) has officially launched , a new digital payment and banking application designed to elevate Ethiopia’s digital financial ecosystem and expand access to fast, convenient, and modern banking services. The announcement was made during an official launch event, with remarks delivered by , Vice President of Corporate Service Excellence at CBE. Speaking at the

January 17, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

Why a US visa ban on 26 African nations will backfire

AS DONALD TRUMP prepares for his first full week back in the Oval Office, his administration has delivered a blunt message to the developing world: you are no longer invited.On January 14th the State Department announced it would pause the issuance of new immigrant visas to citizens of 75 countries. The rationale—that these newcomers might

January 15, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

Ethiopia Ends Administered Interest Rates in Landmark Financial Reform

Ethiopia’s central bank has scrapped all controls on commercial lending and deposit rates, in a sweeping deregulation move expected to reshape liquidity, credit pricing and competition across the country’s banking sector. Under Directive No. NBE/INT/13/2026, issued by the National Bank of Ethiopia and effective January 9, 2025, banks will now be allowed to freely set

January 9, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

Hybe America Appoints Ethiopia Habtemariam as President of Music

Hybe America has appointed Ethiopia Habtemariam as its new president of music, effective immediately. The longtime executive and former Motown Records chief will work between Los Angeles and Atlanta. In her new role, Habtemariam will guide Hybe America’s music strategy, leading A&R and artist development across the company’s group of labels. She will also focus

January 9, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

IMF Africa Director Abebe Aemro Selassie to Retire in May

The International Monetary Fund has announced that Abebe Aemro Selassie, the Ethiopian economist who has led its African Department for nearly a decade, will retire on May 1, 2026. The statement was issued Tuesday by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. Abebe has directed the Fund’s work with forty-five countries across sub-Saharan Africa since 2016—an era

January 8, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

Ethiopia’s Forex Auction Clears at Birr 154.87 per Dollar

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

January 6, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

Ethiopian Airlines to Launch New Lyon Service via Geneva

Addis Ababa, 06 January 2026 — Ethiopian Airlines has announced plans to introduce a new passenger service to Lyon, France, via Geneva, beginning 02 July 2026. The thrice-weekly operation will further deepen the carrier’s footprint in France, complementing its existing services to Paris and Marseille. With the addition of Lyon, Ethiopian Airlines will expand its

January 6, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

When the State Becomes the Startup: Ethiopia’s Digital Ambition and the Quiet Suffocation of Innovation

Ethiopia, a nation long preoccupied with the analog burdens of governance—poverty, infrastructure, conflict, bureaucracy—is racing into the digital age with remarkable speed. In the past few years, government agencies and state-owned enterprises have rolled out an impressive catalogue of platforms: a national health “super-app,” an all-encompassing e-commerce marketplace, a domestic card scheme, virtual gambling portals,

January 1, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

The Bet that Failed: An Exclusive Investigation into the Siege of betPawa

Addis Insight Exclusive: Inside the NLA Dossier In the high-stakes world of digital expansion, Ethiopia has long been a fortress. While its neighbors embraced the frenetic growth of the pan-African betting boom, Addis Ababa maintained a posture of wary skepticism. But as 2025 drew to a close, that skepticism curdled into an outright offensive. Documents

January 1, 2026 • By Addis Insight

Business

Ethiopia Plans Tax on High-Earning TikTokers and YouTubers Under New Draft Law

A new draft regulation prepared by Ethiopia’s Ministry of Finance proposes that digital content creators earning more than two million birr annually from platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, podcasts, and live-streaming services be classified as business operators and required to pay business income tax. The regulation outlines detailed tax obligations for digital creators, expanding

December 30, 2025 • By Addis Insight