A client uses an ATM at the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa. (Photo: Maheder Haileselassie Tadese/Reuters)
The Africa Report
Ethiopia has been progressively opening its banking sector since 2016. As the country moves ahead with its liberalization process under Abiy Ahmed’s leadership, the pace of reform has picked up. But with the recent flop of telecom privatization; partly because of fears around security, will financial sector opening fare differently? The fate of investment banks will be closely linked to moves to open an Ethiopian Stock exchange, and the wider privatization process.
Since 2018, the list of sectors open to foreign investment has expanded, including logistics and telecoms.
In February, the Ethiopian Parliament completed a draft law to allow partial foreign entry into the banking sector – a stark contrast to the government’s more hostile position a year ago
READ MORE Ethiopia further opens up sectors to diaspora and foreign nationals
What are the provisions of the draft law? How will it impact the banking sector? And what are its wider ramifications?
Slow to bloom
Ethiopia showed signs of opening its banking sector to foreigners in 2016 after adhering to the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATIA)
Backed by regional and international institutions, COMESA and the World Bank, the ATIA aims to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) by offering “ insurance against political upheaval, expropriation and problems with exchange controls on trade” as noted in The Economist.
Following this, nine foreign banks have opened liaison offices:
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Related:
UPDATE: Ethiopia Signs $907 Million Financing Pact With World Bank
UPDATE: IMF & World Bank Say Ethiopia’s Debt is Sustainable
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