ETTA Solutions PLC and VISA have announced a strategic partnership framework agreement to roll out 148,000 contactless acceptance devices across Ethiopia. This initiative marks the largest merchant digitisation programme ever undertaken in the country, bringing secure tap-to-pay infrastructure directly to small and micro-enterprises.

Designed to transform daily trade, the rollout extends beyond Addis Ababa’s major retailers to reach the neighborhood shops, market traders, restaurants, pharmacies, and transport operators that form the backbone of the Ethiopian economy.

Every device connects seamlessly to ZooryaPay—ETTA’s payment platform operating under a National Bank of Ethiopia Payment System Operator licence—and the broader Zoorya merchant operating system, which processed over ETB 120 billion in transactions over the past year.

Crucially, the hardware introduces a pioneering technical integration to the market. ETTA’s devices are certified by the Ethiopian tax authority as cash register machines and for the national e-receipt system. This makes ETTA the first company in Ethiopia to combine certified fiscal receipting, e-receipts, and international and local card acceptance into a single device.

“This is the moment Ethiopian commerce goes contactless,” said Dr. Temesgen Gebrehiwot, CEO of ETTA Solutions and Chairman of ZooryaPay. “For a decade, we have built the tools Ethiopian merchants run their businesses on. Today, with Visa beside us, we are putting a secure acceptance device into the hands of 148,000 of those merchants and connecting each one to a national rail we own and operate under licence.”

Under the agreement, Visa and ETTA will jointly finance the hardware, fund national marketing and merchant-education campaigns, and co-manage the rollout. ETTA will lead the ground-level execution, driving merchant acquisition, activation, and 24/7 lifecycle support through its national field operations.

Beyond immediate payment processing, the ecosystem solves a historic barrier for small businesses: access to credit. Through ETTA’s exclusive partnership with Optasia, every merchant on the network receives a continuously updated credit-readiness profile built from real transaction history. Local partner banks can utilise this verified data to extend working-capital loans without requiring traditional collateral or extensive paperwork.

For consumers, tourists, and the diaspora, the development means local debit and credit cards—as well as international Visa cards—can now be used instantly and safely at everyday merchants. Built on open rails, the network interoperates fully with Ethiopia’s national switch and existing financial institutions, paving the way for a fully inclusive digital future.

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We have exciting news to share: Aman Properties is expanding to Sar Bet.

After establishing developments in areas including Bisrate Gebriel, Kazanchis, Bole and Kara Kore, Aman Properties is widening its presence across the capital, with Sar Bet among the locations shaping what comes next.

The expansion marks another step in Aman Properties’ growth across Addis Ababa, extending its presence into new locations and building on the experience gained through its developments across the city.

Why Sar Bet?

Some locations have an advantage that cannot be created overnight: they are already deeply connected to the city.

Sar Bet is one of those places.

Located close to the African Union headquarters and several embassies, including the Embassy of Canada, Sar Bet is well connected to central Addis Ababa and surrounded by established business, residential, and institutional areas.

The Mexico–Sar Bet corridor has also seen signifi cant development, with improvements to roads, pedestrian infrastructure, and the surrounding urban environment.

For someone looking to buy a home in Addis Ababa, location is about more than an address. It is about what surrounds you today and what is likely to shape your everyday life tomorrow. Sar Bet brings both: an established place in the city, strong connections to key parts of Addis Ababa, and an urban environment that continues to develop.

What Does This Mean for Aman Properties?

Aman Properties is planning for the long term. Its vision goes beyond individual developments, with plans to build a lasting presence across Addis Ababa and continue growing with the city.

Backed by experience across different neighborhoods and new locations already in its plans, including its strategic work in Sar Bet, Aman Properties is cementing its place as a permanent, trusted leader in Ethiopia’s real estate industry for years to come.

What Comes Next?

And Sar Bet will not be the last

Bole is also among Aman Properties upcoming locations, extending the company’s presence into another well-established part of Addis Ababa.

From the places Aman Properties has already built into the locations now taking shape, the journey across Addis Ababa continues.

Sar Bet is next. And there is more to come.

The House of People’s Representatives (HoPR) of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) convened its first extraordinary session to deliberate on a draft proclamation determining the nomenclature, organization, powers, and duties of federal executive bodies.

Presenting the framework to the parliament, Government Representative Fikadu Tessema clarified that the aggregate number of executive ministries remains steady at 22, matching the previous institutional setup. However, Fikadu stressed that targeted structural updates and institutional realigned adjustments were necessary to optimize governmental effectiveness. These modifications are specifically designed to align federal bodies more closely with their core execution mandates and long-term national objectives.

During the session, Fitsum Assefa, Minister of Planning and Development, delivered extensive explanations to parliamentarians, addressing the strategic rationale behind the transition to the National Strategy Ministry. Dr. Fitsum outlined how the updated structural framework aims to bolster coordination and policy execution.

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) has announced a substantial expansion of its foreign exchange auction schedule for the second quarter of the 2026/27 fiscal year, allocating $840 million to be distributed across six bi-weekly rounds starting October 13, 2026.

This move marks a 68 percent increase—or an additional $340 million greater injection—into the banking system compared to the $500 million allocated across four regular auctions in the first quarter. Under the newly released schedule, each auction will provide $140 million every two weeks—representing a 12 percent per-auction increase from the $125 million supplied during regular Q1 sessions. Auction dates are slated for October 13 and 27, November 10 and 24, and December 8 and 22, 2026.

Financial analysts view the expansion as a strategic effort to ease acute hard currency shortages and stabilize market expectations through enhanced transparency.

The increased auction allocation follows Ethiopia’s landmark exchange rate reform, designed to eliminate the price gap between the parallel market and commercial banks while facilitating access to foreign financing.

Since the policy’s implementation, the official exchange rate has shifted from approximately 57 Birr per US dollar prior to the float to around 160 Birr by early October 2026. Despite these adjustments, a substantial gap persists; parallel market rates in Addis Ababa have hovered around 180 Birr per dollar.

The NBE concluded its first-quarter forex auction program on September 13, 2026, successfully supplying a total of $500 million through four regular auctions over a six-week span.

The fiscal year began under immense demand pressure. During the inaugural auction on August 12, 2026, commercial banks submitted bids totaling $470.17 million—nearly four times the $125 million offered—driving the average exchange rate to 161.79 Birr per dollar.

To help alleviate the severe dollar crunch, the central bank also conducted a special $500 million auction on August 20, 2026, drawing $710.14 million in bids at clearing rates ranging between 159.50 and 160.25 Birr. This intervention fostered short-term stability and briefly strengthened the Birr.