Addis Ababa, May 30, 2026 (FMC) — The National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) has underscored that the democratic system is founded on the principle that decisions supported by the majority of citizens are implemented as collective decisions.
The Board stated that more than 54 million Ethiopians are expected to participate in the upcoming general election to elect representatives who will govern the country for the next five years.
NEBE emphasized that voting remains the most fundamental step through which citizens exercise their democratic right to freely choose their leaders in a national electoral process.
The Board further highlighted the scale of Ethiopia’s electorate, noting that the number of voters places the country among Africa’s most populous electoral contexts.
It compared the figure with countries such as Kenya, with an estimated population of 56 to 57 million, and Tanzania and South Africa, each with around 60 million people.
NEBE also noted that the size of Ethiopia’s electorate could collectively represent the population of several smaller African countries combined, reflecting the magnitude of the country’s democratic exercise.
Countries referenced in this comparison include Djibouti, Eritrea, Gabon, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Libya, the Central African Republic, and Congo-Brazzaville, among others.
According to NEBE, only a limited number of African countries have populations exceeding 54 million, including Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, South Africa, and Kenya.
The Board concluded that the figure of more than 54 million voters reflects the significant demographic weight of Ethiopia within the continent and underscores the scale of its electoral process.