Addis Ababa, October 30, 2025 (FMC) — Ethiopia’s ongoing financial sector reform has taken another major stride with the official launch of First Addis Investment Bank (FAB), the country’s first independent investment bank licensed under the new capital market framework.
The launch, announced during an inaugural press briefing held in Addis Ababa on Thursday, marks a significant milestone in the development of Ethiopia’s emerging capital market and efforts to diversify its financial ecosystem.
FAB Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mickael Addisu, confirmed that the bank is now fully operational following the license it received from the Ethiopian Capital Market Authority (ECMA) on October 1, 2025. He underscored that Ethiopia—one of Africa’s six largest and fastest-growing economies—has long depended almost exclusively on commercial banks as sources of investment financing, a situation the new capital market institutions are now set to transform.
Mr. Mickael noted that the establishment of First Addis Investment Bank, alongside the Ethiopian Securities Exchange (ESX) and the Capital Market Authority, represents a crucial step toward unlocking broader access to long-term finance for both the public and private sectors.
“At First Addis Investment Bank, our mission is to provide tailored investment solutions to individuals, businesses, and public institutions, expanding access to capital and driving the development of Ethiopia’s economy,” he said. “We are building a future defined by innovation, inclusion, and sustainable growth.”
Registered as a private limited company, FAB offers a range of investment banking services including share registration, capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, privatization, corporate restructuring, and financial research and analysis. The Bank plans to introduce trading, brokerage, and underwriting services in the near future.
According to the CEO, FAB’s operations are strictly guided by the provisions of the capital market proclamation and ECMA’s regulatory framework. He emphasized that the Bank’s leadership team combines strong local and international expertise, having collectively mobilized more than one billion dollars in investments and projects across various sectors.
Mr. Mickael highlighted that FAB’s independence, professional neutrality, and blended expertise distinguish it from traditional financial institutions. The Bank, he added, is designed to serve as a bridge between capital and opportunity—supporting entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and public institutions to access new sources of financing.
The launch of First Addis Investment Bank signals growing investor confidence in Ethiopia’s reform-driven economy and reinforces the country’s determination to build a modern, diversified, and resilient financial sector.