Amhara Bank has taken a major step toward joining Ethiopia’s developing capital market, following the submission of its draft prospectus to the Ethiopian Capital Market Authority (ECMA). The document, compiled by Wegagen Capital Investment Bank, sets the stage for the formal registration and future public trading of the bank’s shares.
The announcement came during a signing ceremony held on December 18, 2025, in Addis Ababa, where Yohannes Ayalew, CEO of Amhara Bank, and Brutawit Dawit, CEO of Wegagen Capital, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlining the terms of collaboration between the two institutions.
The draft prospectus complies fully with the regulatory guidelines and international standards established by the ECMA. According to Wegagen Capital, the document is the result of several months of preparation by senior professionals with extensive experience in both domestic and global capital markets.
“This milestone strengthens Wegagen Capital’s role in the country’s financial and investment sector,” said Brutawit Dawit, adding that Amhara Bank had demonstrated “swift cooperation and a strong commitment” throughout the process. Wegagen Capital is among the pioneering institutions licensed to provide investment banking services under the ECMA’s supervision.
With more than 164,000 shareholders and a paid-up capital of 7.4 billion birr, Amhara Bank is among Ethiopia’s youngest but most widely held commercial banks. Listing its shares on the capital market will, for the first time, allow shareholders to trade their holdings freely and enable the bank to raise additional capital more efficiently.
“At a time when our bank attracted such a large number of shareholders without a centralized stock exchange, this opportunity to participate in a regulated market marks a crucial chapter in our growth story,” said Yohannes Ayalew, emphasizing that the move reflects Amhara Bank’s commitment to transparency, good corporate governance, and market discipline.
He added that the bank plans not only to list its shares but also to establish a capital market services arm and introduce new, customer-focused financial products aligned with the emerging investment ecosystem.
Under recent ECMA directives, banks, insurers, and public equity companies are expected to register their shareholder information and prepare for future market participation. Amhara Bank’s early submission signals its intent to position itself as a leader in this transition toward a modern financial system.
The step, officials say, reinforces broader efforts to enhance transparency, accountability, and capital mobility within Ethiopia’s financial sector — a cornerstone of the government’s financial reform agenda.
Wegagen Capital CEO Brutawit affirmed that the firm is also collaborating with other joint-stock companies across various industries to prepare similar filings. “We are committed to supporting the growth and integrity of Ethiopia’s capital market,” she concluded.
