Ethiopia has earned 83 million US dollars in export revenue from goods produced in its special economic zones (SEZs) in the first nine months of the 2024/2025 fiscal year,
According to a statement from the Ethiopian Industrial Parks Development Corporation (IPDC), manufacturing firms operating within these zones exported goods valued at 83 million dollars during the first nine months of the 2024/2025 Ethiopian fiscal year, which commenced on 8 July.
Chief Executive Officer of the IPDC, Fisseha Yitagesu, said SEZs are playing an increasingly important role in driving export growth, generating employment, and supporting import substitution.
Yitagesu noted that SEZs are making a significant contribution to the national economy by conserving much-needed foreign exchange. By replacing imports with locally manufactured goods, the zones have helped save nearly 12 billion Ethiopian birr (approximately 89.9 million US dollars) during the reporting period.
Many of Ethiopia’s SEZs have been developed by Chinese companies, and Chinese investors remain the largest group of foreign operators within these zones.
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Recent figures from the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC) reveal that China continues to be a major source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Ethiopia, with more than 4,500 Chinese-led projects currently active in the country.
The Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC) reported that Ethiopia attracted 3.92 billion dollars in FDI during the last fiscal year, which ended on 7 July 2024, with Chinese investments accounting for nearly half of the total inflows.
The government’s SEZ strategy is part of a wider plan to boost manufacturing, improve infrastructure, and position Ethiopia as a key player in regional and global supply chains. By reducing reliance on imports and strengthening local production,
