INVEST IN ETHIOPIA

TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS

Open for business

116Million

population, 21% in urban areas

5th

largest economy in Africa

3th

fasted growing economy from 2000 to 2018

Ethiopia represents an attractive investment opportunity for investors in the Transport And Logistics sector

Until recently, the transport and logistics (T&L) sector in Ethiopia was closed to FDI. However, in 2020, we implemented a new investment law that opened many investment areas to FDI, including transport and logistics. Since then, a growing number of investors have been exploring the new opportunities this sector has to offer.

Despite being landlocked, Ethiopia offers significant advantages in the global value chain. We sit at the center of the global economy, with proximity to the Middle East, Europe, North America, and Asia. Our location gives us a strategic advantage to engage with any market in the world quickly—with access to over 4 billion of the world’s population in just 8 hours of flight. Our flag carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, the continent´s largest in terms of passengers carried and the world’s fourth largest in terms of nations served, connects us to 127 international passenger destinations and 44 freighter destination. These advantages have laid a fertile foundation from which new investors can explore and set up businesses in the T&L sector.

The value of our annual import-export trade is currently more than $20 billion. To support increasing trade and make Ethiopia a hub for regional trade, we have embarked on an ambitious journey to build transport and logistics infrastructure and improve services. Investors are invited to engage in various opportunities that contribute to this goal while reaping the benefits of a newly opened and growing investment opportunity.

  • Engage in building logistics infrastructure, including infrastructure megaprojects (logistics cities, dry ports and cargo terminals) and services. Investors can engage in expanding the Modjo Green Logistics Cities, building a logistics hub in Indode across the Addis-Djibouti railway line, or developing dry ports to service import and export of cargos in Semera, Dire Dawa, Woreta, Mekelle, Kombolcha or Jijiga. Investors can also explore the potential of building and operating dry bulk terminals.
  • Engage in providing logistics services. By leveraging existing infrastructure or developing their own, investors can engage in providing logistics services—including dry/fluid cargo road transport, agile supply chain services, cold-chain services for fresh produce transportation and storage, rail-freight cargo handing in the Addis-Djibouti railway route (including Indode, Modjo, Adama and Dire Dawa), freight forwarding and shipping, and maritime training institution and manning services.
  • Build port-connecting transport infrastructure and connect inland dry ports to seaports via transport infrastructure and diversifying access to the sea. Investors can explore the potential for building port-connecting railway lines—for example, working on the 310-kilometer Ayisha-Berbera Railway Connection, the 976-kilometer LAPSSET project connecting Modjo to Moyale, or the 1,400-kilometer railway line connecting Ethiopia with Sudan. We are ready to explore public-private partnerships for these projects. In addition, there are emerging opportunities in building pipelines for the supply of oil and gas.

Invest in ethiopia

A ripening market offering quick win opportunities

Ethiopia has a large and growing unserved market

$5Billion
$120Million

Ethiopia can become a regional transport and logistics hub in Africa

Our annual import-export trade is over $20 billion. To support increasing trade and make Ethiopia a hub for regional trade, we have embarked on an ambitious journey to build transport and logistics infrastructure and improve services. Investors are invited to engage in various opportunities that contribute to this goal while reaping the benefits of a newly opened and growing investment opportunity.

The Ethiopian market offers various attractive opportunities in the transport and logistics space.

Investors can choose a single or multiple, end-to-end investment opportunities.

  • Building Logistics Infrastructure

    Engage in building logistics infrastructure including mega infrastructure projects and services. These include constructing logistics cities, dry ports and cargo terminals. Investors can engage in expanding the Modjo Green Logistics Citys, building a logistics hub in Indode across the Addis-Djibouti railway line or developing dry ports to service import and export of cargos in Semera, Dire Dawa, Woreta, Mekelle, Kombolcha or Jijiga. Investors can also explore the potential of building and operating dry bulk terminals and provide services to import and export of grain, fertilizers, and other products.

  • Providing Logistics Services

    Engage in providing logistics services. Leveraging existing infrastructure or by developing their own infrastructure, investors can engage in providing logistics services including dry/fluid cardo road transport and create agile supply chain services, cold-chain services for fresh produce transportation and storage, rail freight cargo handing in the Addis-Djibouti railway route including Indode, Modjo, Adama and Dire Dawa, set up a modern and technologically efficient freight forwarding and shipping company or establish a maritime training institution and manning services.

  • Building Port-Connecting Transport Infrastructure

    Engage in building port-connecting transport infrastructure and connect inland dry ports to seaports via transport infrastructure and diversifying access to the sea. Investors can explore the potential of building port-connecting railway lines (for example, working on the 310 kilometers Ayisha-Berbera Railway Connection, the 976 kilometers LAPSSET project connecting Modjo to Moyale or the 1,400 kilometers railway line to connect Ethiopia with Sudan). We are ready to explore public private partnerships for these projects. In addition, there are emerging opportunities in building pipelines for the supply of oil and gas.

Paving the way for investors

We understand that developing the transport and logistics sectors will require significant investment, both public and private. Hence, we have an unwavering commitment to support investors looking to explore attractive opportunities in this sector. Our 10-year transport sector plan has created massive trade and investment opportunities for investors seeking to do business in Ethiopia. We welcome investors in different modes of engagement, including joint ventures, public-private partnerships and concessions. For example, we recently signed an MoU with DP World for the development of the Ethiopian side of the Berbera Corridor in a deal worth USD 1 billion.

Over the next decade, we plan to invest over USD 70 billion in building transport and logistics infrastructure and services in the country. To realize this goal, we have identified six key investment areas and 29 specific investment opportunities—but even that is just scratching the surface compared to what the sector offers. These low-hanging fruits are up for grab, and we invite you to invest and reap the benefits.

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