Shega Media

Issue 246: Fiscal Tango                                                  Ethiopia’s largest-ever budget is colliding with rising enforcement demands, new tax rules, and a reform agenda that depends on execution as much as design. The latest edition of Shega Weekly explores how that “fiscal tango” is unfolding across institutions and markets. 💰 Ethiopia moves toward a $295M stake in the BRICS New Development Bank 🎓 Universities face stricter benchmarks on the path to autonomy ⛽️ A major fuel-sector acquisition reshapes industry competition ⚖️ Tax dispute resolution shifts toward PMO-led conciliation ✈️ Africa’s aviation sector lags behind global efficiency gains 🌻 Small-scale oil producers return, but old constraints remain Read more:https://substack.com/home/post/p-205724772

Ethiopian entrepreneur Beamlak Alemayehu, founder of Medanit Digital Health, has been recognized with the Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award 2026, a global recognition for women founders working on solutions to social and health challenges. Launched in 2022, Medanit integrates telemedicine, medication delivery, appointment booking, and healthcare navigation into a single platform. The company has facilitated over 295,000 healthcare interactions and more than 78,000 telemedicine consultations, serving 50,000+ users across a network of 65+ healthcare providers. Read the full partner content.

Ethiopia’s Eurobond restructuring agreement is a meaningful milestone, but it is best understood as a transition point rather than a resolution. The 12% haircut reduces the bond’s face value by $120 million, a notable figure in isolation, yet modest when viewed against an external debt stock estimated at around $33 billion. Placed within the fiscal context, the limits of the relief become more apparent. Ethiopia’s incoming federal budget allocates Birr 542 billion to public debt servicing, accounting for close to 43.3% of recurrent expenditure. The Eurobond restructuring addresses only a narrow slice of total obligations. The broader fiscal challenge remains one of balancing debt service, capital investment, and revenue mobilization within a constrained macroeconomic environment. Full analysis and interactive data dashboard.👇 https://shega.co/news/ethiopia-s-eurobond-restructuring-is-a-second-act-not-a-finale

The Ethiopian Securities Exchange (ESX) has admitted Prime Capital as a trading member, two months after it secured its license from the Ethiopian Capital Market Authority (ECMA). The exchange announced on July 2, 2026, at its headquarters on the 18th floor of the Nile Insurance building in Sengatera. The move allows the investment bank to execute trades and act as an intermediary between investors and companies seeking capital, bringing the total number of ESX trading members to eight. ESX CEO Tilahun E. Kassahun (PhD) applauded the progress in Ethiopia's capital market ecosystem while noting that the number of traders needs to expand in tandem with the number of available products. He added that there is still work to be done in meeting investor demand for services such as brokerage. "It's important that output meets demand for the product," Tilahun said. Prime Capital S.C. was launched two months ago as Ethiopia's sixth investment bank and second non-bank-affiliated investment bank.

𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗮'𝘀 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹-𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗢𝗶𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗲𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗳𝘁. Two decades back, cooking oil in Addis Ababa was pressed from noug in small neighborhood enterprises and sold at shops loose by the bottle. Then refined oil became standard, cheap imported palm oil flooded in, and the local press faded. Now small-scale oil production is returning, powered by pressing machines that start at a fraction of factory-scale cost and a growing trade on TikTok. But a mandatory requirement that loose oil cannot easily meet still hangs over the revival. Shega examines who is pressing, who is buying, and what could shut it down again. https://shega.co/news/ethiopia-s-small-oil-producers-are-coming-back

If May was about closing institutional gaps, June is about testing whether Ethiopia can afford the reforms it's writing. Shega has just published the June edition of Policy Monitor, our monthly intelligence brief on the legislative and regulatory shifts shaping Ethiopia's operating environment. This month, one number frames everything else: Ethiopia's largest-ever federal budget, at 2.34 trillion birr, is also the second consecutive budget in which debt service outweighs combined capital spending on roads, health, agriculture, and higher education. Balancing it depends on a 35.6% tax-revenue increase with no real precedent, and that single figure connects almost every other front moving this month. The enforcement side of that bet is now visible in law. A new Electronic Invoicing Directive mandates real-time digital receipts across the formal economy, the most operationally demanding compliance measure since VAT, backed by INSA certification and six-figure performance bonds for service providers. Three structural drafts are advancing in parallel, each addressing a gap this Monitor has flagged before: a rewritten Statistics Proclamation gives Ethiopia's data agency independence and a legal right to administrative data, nineteen years after its last census; a new Agricultural Business Company vehicle lets smallholders pool land and labor into something a lender can actually underwrite; and a Rational Medicines Use Directive writes WHO antimicrobial-resistance stewardship into binding law for the first time. Two further instruments look outward. A draft Federal Sharia Courts Proclamation modernizes Islamic family-law adjudication for the first time since 1992, introducing a binding cassation mechanism, though the substance of the law itself stays untouched. And a new Forest Carbon Trading Directive lays the legal groundwork for Ethiopia's carbon market ahead of hosting COP32 in Addis Ababa in 2027. Read together, they describe a government trying to fund an ambitious reform agenda through enforcement, while the infrastructure to enforce, adjudicate, and measure any of it is still being built underneath it. Policy Monitor is built to track that gap in real time: what changed, what it means in practice, and what to watch before it becomes next month's headline. Full edition 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽

Issue 245: Subsidy Gambits At a glance, the numbers suggest stability. But beneath them, Ethiopia’s economic model is being quietly stress-tested, from fertilizer supply chains to sovereign debt negotiations. This week’s Shega Weekly looks beyond the surface to examine what current trends mean in practice, for investors and policymakers alike. It also covers: 🌾 The limits of Ethiopia’s fertilizer model under global disruption  ⚖️ Debt restructuring slows amid conflicting economic assessments  🏗 A reassessment of the country’s megaproject legacy  🎓 Academic integrity challenges in a high-stakes exam system  ⚡️ New investments aimed at stabilizing power distribution https://shegaweekly.substack.com/p/issue-245-subsidy-gambits

What does it take for technology in education to actually work for everyone? As digital tools continue to enter Ethiopian classrooms, the conversation is shifting. The challenge is no longer just access; it is alignment: aligning technology with curriculum, teacher capacity, and the diverse needs of learners, including students with disabilities. The June 2026 edition of EdTech Mondays Ethiopia explores how to move beyond fragmented deployments toward a more coordinated, system-wide approach. A key focus will be inclusivity. As digital learning expands, ensuring accessibility for all learners is not optional; it is foundational. This includes accessible design, localized content, and equipping teachers to support diverse classroom needs. 📻 Tune in: June 29, 2026 | 8:10 PM EAT Fana FM 98.1 and nationwide affiliates Read more. https://tools.shega.co/url/ob90sH_9

Powering Ethiopia’s Next Chapter of Digital Growth Ethiopia’s digital landscape is evolving at a remarkable pace. Across the country, technology is no longer used only for communication, but for work, creativity, learning, and business. As this shift continues, access alone is no longer enough. The quality, speed, intelligence, and security of the tools people rely on are becoming just as important in shaping meaningful participation in the digital economy. Partner Content. https://shega.co/news/powering-ethiopia-s-next-chapter-of-digital-growth

Issue 244: Unanchored     The latest edition of Shega Weekly examines 📊 A record budget that shrinks under dollar conversion   🔍 Federal auditors’ flag systemic mismanagement as outgoing MPs demand accountability ⚡️ Africa's hydrogen pipeline stalls   ⚠️ Overnight regulatory shifts are pushing businesses into short-term survival mode 🛣 World Bank raises its commitment to the Djibouti–Addis Ababa corridor to $205mn 🏙 Addis Abeba's cabinet approves a 502bn Birr city budget   𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 https://shegaweekly.substack.com/p/issue-244-unanchored

Ethiopia’s reform cycle is entering a more exacting phase, where access, cost, and control are being recalibrated at once. The latest edition of Shega Weekly examines how new rules in digital payments could redraw the competitive landscape, raising the bar for who gets to build and who gets to stay. It also covers key developments across the economy: 💳 A regulatory reset for fintech as capital thresholds rise sharply 📊 A record 2.3 trillion Birr budget signals expanding fiscal ambition 🚗 A nationwide vehicle plate overhaul begins, with new costs and compliance layers 🌾 Global shocks push fertilizer prices higher, deepening food security risks 📈 Inflation ticks back up as food prices return to the forefront 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿e: https://tinyurl.com/y9dususv

Ethiopia’s economic system stack is being rebuilt, layer by layer, and not always in sync. The latest edition of Shega Weekly explores how capital markets, digital infrastructure, and regulatory shifts are evolving in parallel, often faster than the institutions meant to hold them together. It also covers key developments across sectors: 💰 A long-awaited investment framework arrives for a market still finding its footing 🪪 Digital ID begins to anchor public service delivery, starting with passports ⛽️ The central bank loosens control over fuel imports, for some ⚖️ Eurobond tensions escalate as investors prepare for legal action ✈️ Regional currency frictions spill into aviation markets 🚢 Logistics goes digital as ESL prepares a full platform rollout 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 https://shegaweekly.substack.com/p/issue-242-system-stack

Ethiopia’s EdTech Progress Confronts a Wall of Fragmentation Post-pandemic, Ethiopia accelerated its push into digital education, but scaling impact remains a challenge. From fragmented systems to limited financing, April’s EdTech Mondays discussions pointed to a clear takeaway: without a unified digital framework, inclusion risks remaining out of reach. The next phase of EdTech will be defined not by access alone, but by how well systems connect and serve every learner. Read the full recap. https://shega.co/news/ethiopia-s-ed-tech-progress-confronts-a-wall-of-fragmentation

𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 241: 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗶𝗽 Is Ethiopia’s central bank loosening its grip on FX controls, or is it just managed optics? The latest Shega Weekly dives into NBE's latest moves amid a pending IMF review, new directives, and other highly consequential stories shaping the country: ⚖️ Ethiopia explores alternatives after Eurobond restructuring rejected 🌳 New agro‑forestry law grants carbon credit ownership to local landowners ⛽️ Djibouti seeks Ethiopia’s backing for Damerjog oil depot ⚠️ UNCTAD warns trade, food & finance shocks are testing the global economy 💻 UN launches program to boost women’s access to online business tools in Ethiopia Stay ahead of the curve: https://newsletter.shega.co/p/issue-241-loosening-the-grip

If you invest, operate, or advise in Ethiopia, May 2026 was not incremental; it was structural. Shega has just published the second edition of Policy Monitor, our monthly intelligence brief tracking the legislative and regulatory shifts shaping the country’s operating environment. This month spans eight distinct fronts, each pointing to a system under active redesign: • Tax administration is set to enter a new phase: voluntary mediation, a 10-year fraud look-back, and conditional clearance that allows firms to operate while disputes are unresolved • A first-ever critical infrastructure cybersecurity regime introduces 48-hour breach reporting, INSA-led oversight, and criminal liability for failures with real-world consequences • Customs rules are set to tighten and evolve simultaneously, software valuation clarified, related-party scrutiny increased, and a 50% prepayment threshold imposed on appeals are being floated in a new draft. • A draft Freedom of Information law proposes a statutory right to access public data, backed by Ombudsman oversight and proactive disclosure obligations • Capital markets deepen as banks and pension funds are admitted directly into the OTC debt market, expanding the institutional investor base • Aviation security is centralized under a single authority, reflecting Ethiopia’s role as a continental hub and the scale of its future airport infrastructure • Alongside reforms in cooperatives and health regulation, the cumulative signal is unmistakable: governance architecture is being retooled in real time What emerges is not a series of isolated reforms, but a coordinated, if uneven, attempt to close institutional gaps: compliance, transparency, enforcement capacity, and market depth. Policy Monitor is built for this moment. Each edition distils what changed, why it matters in practice, and what to watch next. Because in environments like this, the question is no longer what happened; it is how quickly you can interpret the direction of travel. Full document: 👇🏽

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗮'𝘀 𝗗𝗙𝗦 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀?   Ethiopia's insurance sector has spent more than a century failing to reach most of the population it nominally serves.   A wave of regulatory reform, including four concurrent NBE directives and a landmark draft proclamation aim to treat some of the sector’s most pressing constraints.   With tens of millions of Ethiopians already using some form of Digital Financial Service (DFS), significant gains in insurance penetration could be within reach.   Read the full analysis.   https://tools.shega.co/url/OXhedDeb

𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺'𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝘆𝗽𝘁𝗼 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗿 𝗣2𝗣 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 Telegram's built-in Crypto Wallet has told its Ethiopian users that P2P trading in Birr (ETB) will be discontinued on June 2, 2026, citing regulatory requirements. All active P2P advertisements involving ETB will be removed on that date, and no new advertisements can be posted. The suspension adds another name to a growing list. The world's leading cryptocurrency exchanges, including Binance, OKX, and Bybit, have all suspended P2P services for the Ethiopian Birr in recent months following regulatory pressure from Ethiopia’s central bank. Notably, Crypto Wallet had added Amharic language support in mid-May, shortly after the major exchanges exited, in what appeared to be a bid to capture displaced Ethiopian users. That window has now closed in less than two weeks.

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 In Ethiopia, where fewer than half of adults are banked, digital financial services hold the most direct path into the formal economy. But the tools only work when people understand them, and understanding has to happen in the language people actually live in.   As part of the AKOFADA (Advancing Knowledge on Financial Accessibility and DFS Adoption) Project, we are publishing the DFS-Focused Finance Glossary in Afaan Oromoo, the second edition in our localization series, following the Amharic glossary released earlier this year.   The glossary translates core digital finance terms and concepts, from everyday concepts like mobile money, bill payments, and wallets, to more technical ones like credit scoring, interoperability, and payment system operators, into clear, culturally grounded Afaan Oromoo. Each entry includes a translation, a plain-language description, and a real-world example to make the concept stick.   It's built for everyone the digital finance ecosystem is meant to serve: banking professionals, policymakers, DFS providers, and the Afaan-Oromoo-speaking communities across Oromia whose financial lives are increasingly shaped by these services, and who deserve to understand them.   You can download the full glossary here: https://digitalfinance.shega.co/insights/glossary/DFS-Glossary-in-Afaan-Oromoo   #FinancialInclusion #DigitalFinance #AKOFADA