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

Business

Ethio Telecom Announces Tariff Adjustment Amid Rising Costs and Macroeconomic Pressures

Ethio Telecom has announced a modest adjustment to its telecom tariffs, citing rising operating costs and challenging macroeconomic conditions, while emphasizing its continued commitment to affordability and digital inclusion. The decision comes after six consecutive years of tariff reductions, infrastructure expansion, and service discounts that significantly widened access to telecommunications services across Ethiopia. According to

December 29, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

Ethiopian Achieves Major MRO Breakthrough with First A350-900 Full Strip and Paint Program in Africa

Ethiopian Airlines, the leading carrier in Africa and one of the fastest-growing airline brands globally, is proud to announce the successful completion of Africa’s first full strip-and-paint program of the Airbus A350-900 aircraft on two of its aircraft, marking a significant advancement in Ethiopian MRO’s capacity, technical expertise, and commitment to operational excellence. This achievement

December 26, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

Dashen Bank Reports Record Revenue of 31.4 Billion Birr, Strengthening Its Position in Ethiopia’s Banking Sector

Dashen Bank has announced a historic financial performance for the recently concluded 2017 Ethiopian fiscal year, recording total revenue of 31.4 billion birr—a remarkable 34 percent increase compared to the previous year. The milestone highlights the bank’s resilience, strong operational strategies, and ability to thrive despite Ethiopia’s challenging macroeconomic conditions. According to the bank’s annual

December 25, 2025 • By Addis Insight

Business

Safaricom Ethiopia Raises Data Package Prices by Up to 82%,

Safaricom Ethiopia has introduced a significant revision to its mobile internet packages, increasing costs by 20 percent to 82 percent across several daily, weekly, monthly, and long-term bundles. The new tariffs took effect on December 14, 2018 E.C., and have immediately drawn strong reactions from subscribers, many of whom say the changes drastically reduce affordability.

December 24, 2025 • By Addis Insight