- Ethiopia plans to create a single authority to oversee commodity exports. A proposal has been submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office, with implementation expected after a new government forms at the start of the next budget year.
- Officials hope this will address fragmented oversight currently divided among more than five ministries.
- Gold and coffee continue to dominate export earnings, with gold exports generating over USD 2.1 billion (148 % of the target) in the first seven months of the current fiscal year
- The government recorded USD 8.3 billion in export earnings last fiscal year and set a USD 9.4 billion target for 2025/26, but officials suggest the figure could exceed USD 10 billion.
- Past export promotion efforts under the Ethiopian Export Promotion Agency (EEPA) proved effective but were later dissolved; experts now urge a body reporting directly to the prime minister to restore coordination.
Market impact:
Creating a central export authority could improve coordination across ministries, streamline export processes and reduce regulatory fragmentation, encouraging investment in Ethiopia’s export sectors. A stronger institutional framework may help diversify exports beyond gold and coffee and attract new market entrants.
Key numbers:
- USD 2.1 billion – gold export revenue in the first seven months (148 % of target).
- USD 8.3 billion → USD 9.4 billion – previous fiscal year export earnings vs. current target.
- > 5 ministries – number of ministries currently sharing export oversight.
Business signal:
Consolidating export oversight under one authority signals a shift toward professionalizing Ethiopia’s export sector. Businesses should prepare for clearer procedures and possibly more rigorous compliance, while new export opportunities—especially in emerging sectors like electricity—could open as the government seeks to broaden its foreign‑exchange base.