Ethiopia
The Endubis Report 30-Jun-2020
Top 3 Company Headlines
Mastercard Foundation SME partnerships to make PPE (AllAfrica 11-Jun)
Ethiopian Airlines expects to stay in the black this year (Bloomberg 30-Jun)
Safaricom & 11 other firms in race for telecom licence (GadgetsAfrica 27-Jun)
Top 3 Macro and Risk Headlines
Govt incentives for industrial park investment (AllAfrica 15-Jun)
Danske Bank €117.3m loan for Assela Wind Farm (EMR 26-Jun)
Paris Club debt relief for Covid-19 pandemic (Reuters 10-Jun)
The Endubis’ View
Tensions with Egypt over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) increases, threatening Ethiopia’s vision of being an energy powerhouse in East Africa.
The Endubis is concerned that the risk emanating from the Covid-19 pandemic will add pressure to already weak external finances and disturb Ethiopia’s economic growth. Efforts have been made to safeguard the investment sector e.g. incentives to invest in industrial parks. The Endubis advises to take caution and invest low.
Fun Fact: An Ethiopian Orthodox Christian monk named Aba Tilahun Woldemichael, said to be 114 years old, recovered from Covid-19 (BBC 26-Jun)
The Endubis Report 31-May-2020
Top 3 Company Headlines
Soda King’s salt factory goes operational in Dire Dawa (Fanabc 18-May)
Huawei donates anti Covid-19 supplies (Xinhua 14-May)
Deliver Addis online food delivery grows 630% (Business Insider 21-May)
Top 3 Macro and Risk Headlines
$230m development partnership agreement renewed with US (US Embassy 14-May)
World Bank approve $500m to battle locust swarms in Africa and Middle East (Reuters 21-May)
Tax relief offered to companies hurt by the virus fallout (Bloomberg 05-May)
The Endubis’ View
After the state of emergency was declared last month, many feared human rights violations. There have been killings and mass arrests by security forces in the Oromiya region.
Despite limited financial and human resources in the pandemic, the government has encouraged production and other economic activities. This has eased pressure on the grey economy. The Endubis believes that the pandemic fallout will see an acceleration of private sector reform.
Fun Fact: Niguse Gemeda Mude wins the inaugural Cup of Excellence (COE) with his Sidama sun-dried natural coffee, scoring a whopping 91.04 in the competition (Global Coffee Report 14-May)
The Endubis Report 31-Mar-2020
Top 3 Company Headlines
Sansheng Pharmaceutical launches hand sanitizer production (Fanabc 24-Mar)
Water Ways Technologies wins contract for 5 water and irrigation contracts (Afrik 21 30-Mar)
Ethiopian Airlines continue flights to China (Africa Report 27-Mar)
Top 3 Macro and Risk Headlines
National Bank of Ethiopia injects $450m as liquidity for private banks (Reuters 27-Mar)
Ethiopia to get $500m from World Bank (Poandpo 24-Mar)
Regional states impose travel ban to halt spread of COVID-19 (Ezega News 30-Mar)
The Endubis’ View
March marks another slow month as the national lock-down and regional travel ban from COVID-19 further curb economic activity. Amid the pandemic, the general election has been pushed to August. A closer look at the bi-lateral coordination with China may show what is to come in the coming months, including for the rest of the continent.
Fun Fact: Ethiopian Airlines marks this years International Women’s Day by operating an all-women flight from Addis to Oslo (BBC 07-Mar)
The Endubis Report 29-Feb-2020
Top 3 Company Headlines
Ethio Telecom cuts internet tariffs by 65% (NewBusiness 27-Feb)
Coca-Cola set to introduce Schweppes Novida to market (NewBusiness 04-Feb)
Toshiba wins geothermal power system order for wellhead (Utilities ME 28-Feb)
Top 3 Macro and Risk Headlines
Telecom licence approvals face further delays (Reuters 26-Feb)
UN locust warnings (CNBC 21-Feb)
Khalifa Fund $100m govt deal to support SMEs (Gulf Today 28-Feb)
The Endubis’ View
February has been a slow month for Ethiopia’s economy as biosecurity issues dominate Government activity. Locust infestations bring great risks for the agriculture sector, while COVID-19 has impacted the tourism sector, as flights from China to the capital persist. The Endubis advises to monitor the Ethio Telecom industry as companies fight to secure a licence.
Fun Fact: A stolen 18th century crown, missing since 1993, has finally been returned to Ethiopia by Dutch minister (EthioNews 21-Feb)
The Endubis Report 31-Jan-2020
Top 3 Company Headlines
Ethiopian Airlines to build a $5bn new airport (Africa 16-Jan)
Shipping and Logistics Enterprise to build biggest hub with $150m (ENA 24-Jan)
Eagle Hills, launches La Gare residential project in Addis (PR 13-Jan)
Top 3 Macro and Risk Headlines
Qatar Development Bank organizes matchmaking event (EthioNews 17-Jan)
IFAD $305.7m programme to increase financial services in rural areas (PR 08-Jan)
Ethio Telecom posts 32% rise in H1 revenue (Reuters 15-Jan)
The Endubis’ View
January has been a good month for Ethiopia’s economy. More bilateral private sector cooperation indicates greater access to the market, especially in property development. The Endubis’ advice is to keep a close eye on the digital platform industry as Ethio Telecom is further privatised.
Fun Fact: Loza Abera, also known as ‘Goal Queen’, lands first ever professional contract in Europe (GMS 21-Jan)
The Endubis Report 30-Nov-2019
Top 3 Company Headlines
Sika opens mortar plant in Addis (Global Construction Review 15-Nov)
Coca-Cola launches sugar-free products (Ethio News 30-Nov)
Alibaba Group to create electronic world trade platform (Africa 26-Nov)
Top 3 Macro and Risk Headlines
UNCTAD official states Ethiopia is at high risk of debt distress (Ezega 21-Nov)
Japan $89m loan for road project (ENA 26-Nov)
Ethiopia to remove mining investment barriers (Reuters 25-Nov)
The Endubis’ View
The sustainability of the emerging market economy has been challenged by political unrest. Abiy Ahmed’s proposal of a new merging party - Prosperity Party - has been met with the refusal of TPLF, which may lead to a de-facto Tigrayan state (BBC 22-Nov). However, there is positive news in the strategic services sector as the digital economy opens further. This will improve access to Ethiopia’s market. Despite this, the Endubis believes investors must keep a close eye on Ethiopia’s debt crisis.
Fun Fact: CBE launches first-ever cash deposit machine in Ethiopia (Ethio News 30-Nov)
The Endubis Report 31-Oct-2019
Top 3 Company Headlines
Majority Stake in State Telecom Monopoly to be sold (Nazret 10-Oct)
Mastercard Foundation initiative aims to create 10m jobs by 2030 (Ezegra 30-Oct)
Nokia & 2 universities promote digital skills and innovation (Africanews 16-Oct)
Top 3 Macro and Risk Headline
Ethiopia to import cheaper South Sudan refined oil (China 30-Oct)
Govt & Arab Bank agree to co-finance agro-industrial parks (EthioNews 10-Oct)
PM Abiy Ahmed wins Nobel Peace Prize for resolving conflict with Eritrea (Reuters 11-Oct)
The Endubis’ View
Violent ethnic clashes in the Oromia region raises fears that the PM Abiy Ahmed will ditch his liberal stance and turn authoritarian in leadership. Investment stability will depend on the PM’s actions. Further initiatives in the tech sector mean the country will quickly turn more technocratic.
Fun Fact: Celebrations of the Irreecha festival held in capital for the first time in 150 years (Al Jazeera 06-Oct)
The Endubis Report 31-Aug-2019
Top 3 Company Headlines
Ethio Telecom plans to install 4G network (Reuters 30-Aug)
X-I Bank of Korea $86m EDCF loan (Korea Herald 27-Aug)
Ethio Lease first foreign co to get financial services licence (Africa News 08-Aug)
Top 3 Macro and Risk Headlines
Chinese-built industrial parks attracting world-class investors (Xinhua 29-Aug)
Govt announce cooperation with Alibaba Group (China 15-Aug)
$50m coffee park signed with South Korea (IOL 14-Aug)
The Endubis’ View
A liberalisation drive persists as the govt continues to diversify its growth streams. As foreign exchange shortages continue to worsen export earnings from new sectors accelerates. The licensed New York-based equipment company, AAFC, for the first time brings great news to investors. More must be done to reduce red-tape for lenders and investors.
Fun Fact: An Ethiopian politician’s goats were ‘taken hostage’ as part of a ploy to get him to leave politics (BBC 30-Aug)
The Endubis Report 31-Jul-2019
Top 3 Company Headlines
Two telecom licenses to foreign firms (Africa News 06-Jul)
Ethiopia turns to Airbus after Boeing crash (Africa News- 23-Jul)
Region to sell 10 Firms Registered under TIRET Corp (Ethiopian Monitor 16-Jul)
Top 3 Macro and Risk Headlines
Banking sector opens up to its diaspora (Reuters 31-Jul)
50,000 workers to be sent to the UAE (Business Times 08-Jul)
Coffee, oilseeds export revenues hit $1.2bn (Iol 29 -Jul)
The Endubis’ View
Ethiopia’s foreign exchange shortfalls will be tackled through banking sector reform which opens it up to diaspora dual-nationals, after parliament passed a bill.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s economic reforms have been threatened by political unrest. The Sidama ethnic group clashed with security forces in Southern Ethiopia as they declared their own federal state, with over 30 people dead.
Fun Fact: A World Record was broken as 350m trees were planted in a single day. By the end of the rainy season, an expected 4 billion indigenous trees are expected to be planted (Guardian 29-Jul)