Ethiopia secures over $1.6 bln in investment deals amidst bold economic transformation push

Addis Ababa 13, 2025 (FMC) — The Invest in Ethiopia 2025 High-Level Business Forum concluded today in Addis Ababa, marking a significant step in the country’s drive to attract foreign investment and foster private sector growth.

The two-day event, which gathered global investors and key stakeholders, highlighted Ethiopia’s ongoing comprehensive economic reforms and resulted in the signing of five major investment deals totaling over 1.6 billion US dollars.

Ethiopia’s Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide reaffirmed that the government remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering a cohesive environment for private sector growth, ensuring macroeconomic stability, and advancing comprehensive reforms, including the recently launched Macroeconomic Reform Program.

Minister Ahmed Shide extended a sincere invitation to investors to join Ethiopia on this transformative journey, asserting that “There has never been a more opportune moment to invest in our nation”.

He emphasized that investment is pivotal to advancing shared goals of resilience, inclusive prosperity, and sustainable development.

Moreover, the investors were urged to take concrete steps by engaging with Ethiopian investment institutions and forging strategic partnerships, exploring high-potential sectors outlined in the prepared “deal book”.

The finance minister further reflected on the success of the forum, highlighting four key achievements.

Initially, Ahmed emphasized how the event effectively communicated Ethiopia’s policy reforms and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to fostering a vibrant private sector.

He added the forum successfully showcased a diverse array of investment, trade, and business opportunities, attracting interest from various stakeholders.

It also served as a vital platform for networking, which led to the securing of significant investment deals, culminating in the signing of agreements worth over 1.6 billion USD in investment capital, he indicated.

Lastly, Minister Ahmed Shide underscored how the forum reinforced investor confidence in Ethiopia’s ongoing economic transformation, demonstrating the country’s strong dedication to irreversible and forward-looking policy reforms that underpin its development trajectory.

On his part, Zeleke, Chief Commissioner of the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC), in his closing remarks, celebrated the success of the forum, noting it served as a vital bridge connecting global investors with the Ethiopian government, private sector, and development community.

Zeleke emphasized that creating a favorable investment climate is one of the central pillars of the Ethiopian government’s Homegrown Economic Reform Agenda.

He highlighted the country’s immense potential across various sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, services, and ICT.

Acknowledging that challenges persist, he reaffirmed the commitment of the EIC, in collaboration with stakeholders, to addressing and resolving concerns raised by investors, with a key priority being improved intergovernmental coordination.

Adding to the positive outlook, Finance Minister Ahmed Shide stated his hope that the forum surpassed expectations, delivering comprehensive insights into Ethiopia’s investment landscape and fostering meaningful connections, fresh perspectives, and opportunities for impactful collaboration.

Minister Ahmed firmly believes the forum powerfully underscored Ethiopia’s vast potential and clearly reflected the government’s strong commitment to fostering a business-friendly environment that embraces innovation, nurtures entrepreneurship, and advances sustainable growth.

The investment deals formally signed during the closing ceremony included:

👉Sesar Energy Advancing Solutions: Planned investment of approximately USD $100 million in the first phase and an additional $150 million in the second phase to support local solar energy development.
👉Hanergy New Energy Technology Company Limited & Jandu: Planned investment of $360 million to establish a solar cell manufacturer.
👉Huawei Mining Processing Company Limited: Planned investment totaling around half a billion dollars ($500 million) for mineral exploration, processing, and the development of a special economic zone focused on minerals.
👉Sequa Mining and Processing PLC (Joint Venture between Ethiopian and Chinese companies): Planned investment of approximately $600 million USD to develop coal mining projects.
👉Toyo Solar Manufacturing Development PLC: Planned investment of 14 million US$ to further increase its Ethiopian solar cell capacity.

Minister Ahmed Shide announced that the Invest in Ethiopia High-Level Business Forum is set to become a key annual event, serving as a cornerstone of the national investment promotion strategy, supported by strong public-private dialogue mechanisms.

He concluded by reiterating the strong commitment to fostering a vibrant and competitive private sector, offering targeted incentives, and proactively addressing investor concerns.