Friday, October 3, 2025
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Cepheus Capital invests in JP Textile

Cepheus Growth Capital Partners (“Cepheus Capital”) announced an investment into JP Textile Holding Company Limited, the majority shareholder in JP Textile Ethiopia PLC, Ethiopia’s leading manufacturer of advanced fabrics and a key supplier within Ethiopia’s growing garment industry.

With this investment, Cepheus Capital will hold a significant minority ownership stake and provide strategic, managerial, and operational support to JP Textile.

JP Textile, based in the Hawassa Industrial Park and is expanding its production capacity to meet growing demand for its fabrics in Ethiopia and internationally. The investment by Cepheus Capital will support the company’s expansion plans and also facilitate operational enhancements in areas such as environmental, social, and governance standards.

The Chairman of JP Textile Holding Company Limited, Yang Nan, said “We are delighted to have Cepheus Capital as our partner in JP Textile, as we work together in strategic cooperation to realize the promising future of the company. Cepheus Capital will provide JP Textile with valuable guidance and support for the company management within Ethiopia.”

Cepheus Capital’s Managing Partners, Kassy Kebede and Berhane Demissie, said in announcing the investment “We are delighted to have entered into partnership with Yang Nan and his excellent team. JP Textile has an important role to play in Ethiopia’s growing garment manufacturing industry and is very much aligned with our goal to support the industrialization of the Ethiopian economy.”

For Cepheus Capital, the deal was led by Tim Hill, Investment Director, who said “JP Textile is uniquely positioned within the Ethiopian garment manufacturing industry as the only local producer of high-quality fabrics. Our partners in the company share Cepheus Capital’s vision of how to improve and expand the company’s operations to capture JP Textile’s significant opportunity for growth.”

Cepheus Capital is a private equity firm that invests in Ethiopia’s most promising businesses and entrepreneurs. Besides providing capital, the firm also delivers management and operational expertise to its portfolio companies and assists them in the adoption of strong environmental, social and governance standards. Cepheus Capital is currently investing from its first fund that is being deployed across the manufacturing, agro-processing and services sectors.

 

Fasil wins its first ever EPL championship title

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Fasil Ketema broke new ground lifting Ethiopian Premier League championship title for the first time in the club’s history. With second place Ethiopia Bunna held to a goalless draw against Wolayta Dicha, Fasil claimed the coveted trophy for the first time in the clubs history having four fixtures remaining. “This is a historic day for all Fasil supporters and a new dawn for the region’s football,” remarked Coach Seyoum Kebede the mastermind of the new order.
Though unconvincing early at the season start, Seyoum managed to turn the tide in inspiring his squad thus steering “The Emperors” for their first ever championship title with flying colors. Fifteen wins, four draws and a single defeat, nothing to comment on the team except hailing them the deserved champions.
The richest side in the country in command of the only foreign Coach in its roaster commanding the best of local talents along with four imports St George and popular side under much talked about Coach Kassaye Arage Ethiopia Bunna were considered favorites at the start of the season. But in vain to miss the title in the last two seasons Fasil stood firm and the strongest adversary of the season making history as the first side to collect League Committee one Million Birr money prize.
Boasting the best goalkeeper as well a formidable defense line that conceded only 21 goals, the hard working and well-orchestrated mid field spearheaded by merciless strikers, Fasil won the title collecting 49 points with four fixtures to go.
This is the second premier league title the first some ten years back at St George where he served as a player as well junior team Coach. Whatever the case leading Fasil Ketema to its first ever title in such high inspiration and consistency it is a dream come true to Seyoum who also served as assistant to Sewnet Bishaw to return Ethiopia into Nations Cup final after three decades.

FIFA postpone June World Cup qualifiers in Africa

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FIFA confirmed on Thursday that the 2022 World Cup qualifiers scheduled for Africa during June have been postponed until September due to the coronavirus and stadiums not meeting international standards.
There will now be double matchdays in September, October and November with the 10 group winners advancing to the final round next March.
Africa has been allocated five places at the 32-nation tournament in Qatar, which has been moved from its traditional mid-year setting to November and December because of extreme summer heat.
Had two matchdays been staged in June, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Namibia, Niger, Senegal and Sierra Leone would not have been able to stage qualifiers.
The main stadiums in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Libya and Uganda were also ruled out, but they had alternate venues capable of hosting internationals.
Bahir Dar Stadium is the only Ethiopian stadium that is cleared to host world cup qualifiers.
Recently elected Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe from South Africa has prioritised improving poor facilities and pitches at many national stadiums.

Shura and Tigist win Ethiopian Olympic Marathon trials

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Shura Kitata and Tigist Girma won the Ethiopian Olympic Marathon Trials last Saturday in Sebeta, a city just outside Addis Ababa.
The 35K qualifying race saw a thrilling finish in the men’s event, with Kitata, the 2020 London Marathon champion, edging out two-time Boston Marathon winner Lelisa Desisa in a sprint to the line.
Lelisa Desisa went home disappointed on Saturday, but he has still guaranteed himself a chance to race in Sapporo, Japan, where this year’s Olympic marathon will be held. Sisay Lemma crossed the line in 1:46:19, just a few seconds behind Shura and Lelisa. Although his ticket is booked for the Tokyo Games on paper, Lemma can’t celebrate for Ethiopian running legend Kenenisa has challenged the qualification decision of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation.
Tigist Girma, the 2019 Ottawa Marathon champion, owns one of the fastest marathon results in history, and she ranks 14th among Ethiopians all time. She ran this result at the 2019 Amsterdam Marathon, where she finished second.
Second place went to Birhane Dibaba in 1:59:45. Birhane owns the sixth-fastest marathon result in Ethiopian history, with a PB of 2:18:35, which she ran in her second-place finish at the Tokyo Marathon in 2020. Roza Dereje won the third and final spot on the Ethiopian marathon team headed to Tokyo this summer, crossing the line in 2:00:16.
As things stand now, the top three men and women from Saturday’s race will represent Ethiopia in the Olympic marathon this summer.